Ryan Presley: Inferno

Presented as part of CIAF’s 2026 public program, Reclamation & Regeneration, the interactive digital activation invites audiences to step into a speculative game environment that explores sovereignty, surveillance, extractive industries, and environmental control through a distinctly First Nations lens.

Installed across three arcade-style gaming stations, Inferno is a work that delivers an immersive and thought-provoking transformation of Tank 3, blending gameplay, digital storytelling and political commentary.

In the game, players navigate a speculative landscape shaped by surveillance and extractive industry, using boomerangs to disrupt mineral-scouting helicopters commonly seen over Central Australia while working to liberate water supplies and extend gameplay.

Through the immersive format, Presley reimagines gaming as a contemporary platform for First Nations storytelling and cultural critique, sparking conversation about the industry, environmental stewardship, and the ongoing impacts of colonial systems.