Avec « Video Games & Music », la Philharmonie de Paris se prend au jeu
The Philharmonie de Paris has launched "Video Games & Music," an immersive exhibition exploring the history and evolution of video game music (VGM). Curated by Fanny Rebillard and Jean Zeid, the show features a non-linear scenography inspired by open-world games, incorporating 29 playable consoles, archival photography by Ira Nowinski, and contemporary art by Mounir Ayache and Invader. The exhibition traces the medium's journey from 8-bit bleeps to complex orchestral scores and its influence on club culture and mainstream pop.
This exhibition marks a significant institutional embrace of video game music, a genre long relegated to the fringes of cultural heritage. By treating game soundtracks with the same academic and curatorial rigor as classical compositions, the Philharmonie de Paris validates the medium's artistic complexity and its profound impact on collective memory. The inclusion of visual artists like Invader further bridges the gap between digital entertainment and the contemporary art world.