Overview
If Pac-Man and Space Invaders are fond childhood memories, this St Kilda exhibition might be up your alley. Unlike the usual restored relics, this one showcases original arcade cabinets from Aotearoa-based designer and artist Preston McNeil.
Arca Arcade: Round One is making its Melbourne debut at the Carlisle Street Arts Space. From Friday, August 7–Saturday, October 31, the gallery will be decked out with a collection of arcade machines — and every cabinet is ready to play.
"People remember chasing a high score, spending time with friends or discovering a place where they felt they belonged," McNeil says. "When people stand in front of an arcade cabinet today, they're often reconnecting with a moment in their own story."
McNeil has reimagined that nostalgia into contemporary artworks with nods to his Māori heritage. Spot joystick ball-tops crafted with pounamu (New Zealand's jade) by skilled stone-artist-slash-jeweller Joe Sheehan.
And named after the Māori word for play, the Tākaro series reimagines the arcade cabinet as a canvas for Indigenous stories, including those rooted in McNeil's ancestral connections. A limited number of commissions will be accepted for each machine on display.
Arca Arcade: Round One is also a project built around collaborations with Indigenous artists from around the world. Expect a showcase by Jarra Karalinar Steel, a First Nations game designer and 2025 Rupert Bunny Fellowship Winner, alongside a curated program of artist talks and workshops throughout the two-month run.
"I hope people leave thinking, 'That wasn't what I expected'," McNeil says. "Even if they have no connection to arcade games, I want them to see the cabinets as beautifully crafted contemporary objects first, and gaming machines second. If the exhibition encourages people to look at arcade culture through a different lens, then it's done its job."
Arca Arcade: Round One is free to enter from Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5pm. Visit the website for more details.
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