Last week, the university hosted the launch of AAAMaze by Polish artist Pawel Janicki, presented by Watermans Art Centre. AAAMaze is an exciting and interactive installation featuring a digital labyrinth that is challenging to navigate due to its constantly evolving nature. It is currently on display until the 1st of March, 2025.
I attended the launch event, with staff, students and visitors from the public standing in groups, daring each other to try out the installation. I braved the maze, battling frustration and impatience, a blue screen with a dot and an arcade stick to lead it through the flashing white walls.
Janicki explained the reason for his choice of design. Mazes have been an integral part of society and culture, the most famous being the Greek mythology about Daedalus’ labyrinth. “Mazes have long been considered fascinating due to the mystery they offer, often featuring in popular media (The Maze Runner, Pan’s Labyrinth, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, to name a few),” he said. To me, the installation was reminiscent of the beloved games Snake and Pac-Man but in a high-brow art fashion that combined modern and vintage and digital and physical.
Spectators are encouraged to participate by moving the toggles (physical) to try and escape the maze on screen (digital) that evolves and changes in real-time. The two screens were placed back to back and facing in the opposite direction. An attendee managed the difficult feat of escaping from the maze and was rewarded with a more complex maze, signifying that life itself is a continual maze. The different levels in the labyrinth represent the different phases of life: a new phase starts as soon as the old one ends.
When asked about the fidgety toggles, Janicki explained the reason for the appearance and nature of the toggles: “The toggles themselves are reminiscent of arcade games, whereas the boxes they rest upon are modelled after treasure chests, a nod to the various mythologies that described labyrinths as having wealth hidden within them.”
Labyrinths signify the path of birth and death and everything in between, as explained by Janicki. Mazes are not unusual in the art world, historically depicting the path to finding inner peace via reaching the centre of the maze, as inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus defeating the Minotaur, a monster residing in the centre of Daedalus’ labyrinth. The Minotaur represents inner evils one must overcome in life.
This installation was different from the traditional metaphor of the labyrinth; reaching the centre successfully did not yield any results. I saw the other players laugh when they realised it was infinite. While discussing the meaning behind it before Pawicki’s explanation, we decoded the metaphor behind how each choice made by the player leads them down different paths and how the very same is true for life. What started as shared curiosity changed into deeper conversations, bringing every player together.
All attendees were curious about trying out the interactive experience. Thankfully, the presence of two screens meant that everyone got the chance to try it out for themselves. People expressed their frustration over the difficulties in navigation but ultimately were satisfied with this work of art and what it represented.
Overall, this is a fun exhibition that offers a new experience to people. A lesson in art and mythology (as well as patience, the toggles are not easy to manoeuvre), Janicki has created a piece of art that takes inspiration from traditional depictions but stands out by itself. This installation is on display until the 1st of March, so if you haven’t already, go and try it out for yourself!
We look forward to seeing more such brilliant works from Pawel Janicki.
