Lecture
Ondřej Trhoň: Speculations on Games and Art / New Media Art Today**

On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., we cordially invite you to the first lecture in the “New Media Art Today” lecture series, which will present topics, critical perspectives, and intermedia intersections from the field of contemporary artistic and cultural discourse at Vašulka Kitchen Brno, while exploring new definitions of the concept of “new media.”

Ondřej Trhoň will kick off the lecture series with a talk titled “Game-Art Speculations.” How are the formal characteristics of video games related to contemporary art and thought? Where and how do they intersect, how do they enrich one another, and how do they relate to the sociopolitical situation in which we live and create? The lecture will take a critical look at examples from contemporary video game and “geek” art and offer a way to interpret them within the context of contemporary critical theory.

ONDŘEJ TRHOŇ moves between journalism and art; he works in the gaming industry (Charles Games) and publishes the independent interdisciplinary magazine Dýpt. He has published in magazines such as Fotograf magazine and A2, and regularly writes for Cinepur and ČT art, primarily video game reviews. He is the creator of the program Otevřené hlavy on Radio Wave ČRo, for which he conducts interviews with leading international intellectuals. He has published the book Ještě jeden level (2024) on the interpretation of video games.

The NEW MEDIA ART TODAY project explores the current discourse and forms of audiovisual, digital and online art, which were previously referred to as ‘new media art’. A series of lectures featuring invited guests at Vašulka Kitchen Brno will explore possible transformations of the concept of new media and its critical reflections, whilst also addressing topics that are currently resonating within this field and across disciplines.

The lectures and presentations will offer diverse perspectives through contributions from experts active on the Czech and Slovak art scenes.

One of the aims of the series is also to build on the legacy of Woody and Steina Vašulka, who were at the forefront of the artistic discourse on new media in our region. In keeping with their legacy, the series focuses on reflecting on the current challenges, themes and transformations that are shaping this field today.

The selection of topics is linked to broader socio-cultural contexts that extend beyond the realm of art itself and highlight its development and potential to expand into other disciplines. The lectures, complemented by presentations and discussions, are aimed at anyone interested in the interdisciplinary intersections between art, technology, philosophy, critical theory and other disciplines.

Language: Czech
Free admission