CIAF 2026 invites audiences into an immersive First Nations gaming experience by acclaimed artist Ryan Presley

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.

According to CIAF Artistic Director Teho Ropeyarn, the inclusion of interactive digital works reflects CIAF’s commitment to presenting contemporary First Nations practice across diverse creative forms and media.

“CIAF continues to evolve the ways audiences can experience First Nations storytelling and creative expression,” Mr Ropeyarn said.

“Ryan Presley’s work challenges audiences to think critically while engaging through a highly accessible and immersive format that speaks strongly to younger and digitally connected audiences.”

Born in Alice Springs and now based in Brisbane, Presley’s practice explores themes of power, colonialism, religion and economic control, often examining how these systems continue to shape contemporary Australian life.

Presley has exhibited extensively across Australia and internationally, with recent solo exhibitions including Daydreamer at the Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide (2025), Paradise Won at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra (2024), and Mongrel at the Cairns Art Gallery (2024).

His work is held in major public collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.

Image (top): Ryan Presley, Inferno, 2025, video game. Courtesy of Milani Gallery. 2. Presley with one of the paintings from his Blood Money series, which he has been producing since 2010.