ARCADE, the first solo exhibition by Portuguese digital artist Ricardo Alves, marks a pivotal moment in his transition from large-scale film production to fine digital art. Drawing on more than a decade of experience building cinematic digital worlds, Alves turns toward atmosphere, psychological presence, and the emotional conditions of contemporary digital life. Opening on 5 February 2026, ARCADE signals a shift in focus that invites attention rather than spectacle.

Platform closures in digital art are often framed as failure. In reality, they are better understood as transitions. As marketplaces like Nifty Gateway wind down, what’s revealed is not a lack of legitimacy in the work itself, but a deeper misalignment between market logic and curatorial time. This essay reflects on what platforms enabled, where they faltered, and what a more mature, stewardship-led future for digital art might require.

A reflection on what happens when a conference disappears, and what becomes possible in its absence. On gathering, excess, and why the most meaningful cultural moments have always lived just beyond the official map.