The Rochester Museum of Fine Arts, in collaboration with Atari, is pleased to announce a digital exhibition celebrating the company’s 50th Anniversary.
Founded in 1972, Atari played an integral role in the development of the arcade game, home console, and personal computer industries. Atari’s iconic games, including Pong, Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command, have been played by millions around the world. The brand continues to bring joy to gamers with its expanding portfolio of PC, console, and mobile games.
The exhibition features key art from Atari’s latest Recharged game series. The series updates classic Atari games for current-generation gaming hardware and adds gameplay features that appeal to modern players, including original concept art by Marija Velykytė.
Velykytė (Kaunas, Lithuania) was commissioned by Atari to create illustrations for the Recharged versions of Asteroids, Gravitar, Centipede, Black Widow, Breakout, Yars, and Missile Command.
In addition to the exhibition, the RMFA partnered with Jetpack Comics & Games to host a Centipede high score contest during the reception on January 14th. The top 3 high score players will receive prize packages that include an assortment of items and a $25 gift certificate to Jetpack. There is no cost to enter.
According to RMFA co-founder Matt Wyatt, the Atari exhibition will be one of the first in The Pixel Room, an all-new digital art gallery located in Suite 135 of the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center.
Wyatt describes the collaboration with Atari as a major milestone for the museum, likening the company to other iconic American brands, such as Apple, Disney, and Coca-Cola.
“I’ve been an Atari fan my whole life,” said Wyatt. “We’re honored they agreed to exhibit these incredible works in Rochester. We welcome art lovers and gamers of all ages to attend.”
The exhibition will be on view from January 7th, 2023, to March 3rd, 2023, with a public reception planned for Saturday, January 14th, 2023, from 10am-4pm. Complimentary refreshments will be served. The public is encouraged to attend.
The RMFA is located within the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center, 150 Wakefield Street, Rochester, NH, behind Spaulding High School. Suite 135 is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. Visit www.rochestermfa.org to learn more.
The museum is sponsored by the City of Rochester, Rochester Main Street, Waterstone Properties Group, Bernier Insurance, Meredith Village Savings Bank, and the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
