The Art of Video Games

[Retronick]

Hey!

I just checked out "The Art of Video Games" exhibit at the Smithsonian's American Art Museum.

As much as I would have liked to see more exhibits and information there, I'm still stoked that an official organization outside of the gaming community has taken an interest in distinguishing videogames as art.

I did a brief write up and took oodles of photos if any non-D.C. natives around here are interested in the exhibit: http://www.retronick.com/2012/03/the-art-of-video-games/

I'm curious to about anyone else's experience or thoughts on the exhibit.

[tom]

Art is entertainment, it serves no other purpose, be it paintings from Picasso or your own photos, movies (Spielberg announces 'I created my latest masterpiece'), music from Beatles or Spice Girls, video games.

So yes, video games entertain, they are art (of course pre-modern art was never called art, it served a purpose, usually a religious one).

We had a great Nintendo exhibition in my town a while ago:

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo12/Alison123456789/videogameart1.jpg


.

[cyberfluxor]

It will become a traveling exhibit later this year, but I want to make it out to D.C. before then. I sat in on their panel at MAGFest and was very impressed.

Here's their Webpage (http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/).

[Shicky256]

I went to the exhibit last night. It seems that the time limit on the playable games is too fast. Everyone else in line was a toddler. Who hadn't heard of the Warp Zone. I got to World 4, than the timer instantly cut me off. Everyone booed. If anyone here plans on going, could you try to get to -1? Anyway, the whole exhibit was too short in my opinion, being two rooms.

[Retronick]

I went to the exhibit last night. It seems that the time limit on the playable games is too fast. Everyone else in line was a toddler. Who hadn't heard of the Warp Zone. I got to World 4, than the timer instantly cut me off. Everyone booed. If anyone here plans on going, could you try to get to -1? Anyway, the whole exhibit was too short in my opinion, being two rooms.

As much as I agree with you as far as the size of the exhibit goes, but I think it's a good start. Ultimately, They were trying to go for the forefront of the medium (which explains why there was no TurbGrafx-16, or 3DO exhibits). I think the greatest crime committed here is Nights Into Dreams being outvoted by Tomb Raider of all things. Being part of the voting process for this exhibition last year, I'm at a loss for how this could have happened...

I think it's good that young people get to experience these games first hand, so the tons of children lining up for the exhibits didn't bother me when I went. It's about time they get to see the games we grew up playing (something my kid will be all to familiar with I'm sure ;D).

[Retronick]

Art is entertainment, it serves no other purpose, be it paintings from Picasso or your own photos, movies (Spielberg announces 'I created my latest masterpiece'), music from Beatles or Spice Girls, video games.

So yes, video games entertain, they are art (of course pre-modern art was never called art, it served a purpose, usually a religious one).

We had a great Nintendo exhibition in my town a while ago:

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo12/Alison123456789/videogameart1.jpg


.

While I completely agree with you, there are many who still don't. That's why exhibits like this one are so important.

Wish I could've seen that Nintendo exhibit. Looks incredible!

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I just visited this exhibit over in the Phoenix Art Museum this past weekend and, overall, I thought it was nice. Nice setup and information on the various systems they do have on display. Although I see that they concentrated on more "Mainstream" systems, I feel they should have included the Turbografx-16 and Sega CD (and, to a point, the 3DO). They had a section showcasing footage from five different eras of gaming and, I felt, they should of covered the console "cd revolution" and thus should have had the Turbo and Sega CD. Still a great exhibit nonetheless. I was recording footage of SMB 3 on the NES display and a kid tells his father "Thats a weird con-twoh-wer! How you play game like that?" Dad responded "It was just an easier time to play games" :)

[wiggyx]

As much as I agree with you as far as the size of the exhibit goes, but I think it's a good start. Ultimately, They were trying to go for the forefront of the medium (which explains why there was no TurbGrafx-16, or 3DO exhibits). I think the greatest crime committed here is Nights Into Dreams being outvoted by Tomb Raider of all things. Being part of the voting process for this exhibition last year, I'm at a loss for how this could have happened...

I think it's good that young people get to experience these games first hand, so the tons of children lining up for the exhibits didn't bother me when I went. It's about time they get to see the games we grew up playing (something my kid will be all to familiar with I'm sure ;D).

I feel that Tomb Raider is both a better and more influential game than Nights.

[Oldskool]

Tomb Raider may be a bit more in depth and a bit revolutionary even for it's time but Nights (to me) is more of a masterpiece as far as art is concerned.

I have always heard about this exhibit. I want to check it out sometime!

The reason why they probably didn't include CD based systems or systems like the TG-16 is probably because they were either not very well known, or the CD medium made it too easy to display "art" in the form of FMV, etc - even if movies are considered art. I'm sure there was a reason. Not to mention there is no way they could include every console. That's what the Video Game Museum is for. :)

[Retronick]

I feel that Tomb Raider is both a better and more influential game than Nights.

I have to disagree on "better" (though that's just an opinion). I'll give you more influential by a landslide.

[Retronick]

Tomb Raider may be a bit more in depth and a bit revolutionary even for it's time but Nights (to me) is more of a masterpiece as far as art is concerned.

I have always heard about this exhibit. I want to check it out sometime!

The reason why they probably didn't include CD based systems or systems like the TG-16 is probably because they were either not very well known, or the CD medium made it too easy to display "art" in the form of FMV, etc - even if movies are considered art. I'm sure there was a reason. Not to mention there is no way they could include every console. That's what the Video Game Museum is for. :)

Totally agree with everything you're saying :D. That's just sour grapes on my part when it comes to the TG-16 XD.

[LiquidPolicenaut]

The reason why they probably didn't include CD based systems or systems like the TG-16 is probably because they were either not very well known, or the CD medium made it too easy to display "art" in the form of FMV, etc - even if movies are considered art. I'm sure there was a reason. Not to mention there is no way they could include every console. That's what the Video Game Museum is for. :)


I gotta say I don't agree. The best games for both the Turbo and Sega CD would wind up being non-FMV imo (save maybe for Sherlock Holmes just for being one of the first console FMVs). Regardless of popularity, I think they should have been including for the fact that it was a leap in the technology to the storage power of cds and what could be done with them. Even one of the displays talking about various eras of gaming states that "..with increased storage and advancing technologies...", etc. so, with that, the DEFINITELY should have been included....

.....plus, it would have been nice to see Snatcher and Lunar:EB on display for the Sega CD! lol :)

[Retronick]

I gotta say I don't agree. The best games for both the Turbo and Sega CD would wind up being non-FMV imo (save maybe for Sherlock Holmes just for being one of the first console FMVs). Regardless of popularity, I think they should have been including for the fact that it was a leap in the technology to the storage power of cds and what could be done with them. Even one of the displays talking about various eras of gaming states that "..with increased storage and advancing technologies...", etc. so, with that, the DEFINITELY should have been included....

.....plus, it would have been nice to see Snatcher and Lunar:EB on display for the Sega CD! lol :)

Actually, I guess I really agreed with the "Couldn't include every console" bit when it came to the argument about the Turbo-CD. The bulk of bad console FMV games aside, there were some truly great FMV games that came out. I'm thinking of course about Under A Killing Moon, Phantasmagoria, and Mega Race to name a few.

Also, I noticed the original page I put in here has long since vanished (had a server crash and had no back up -go me). Here are the photos from the outing if anyone's interested:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/retronick/sets/72157629266675468/

[goob47]

I'm really glad the good 'ol Intellivision got some love at this exhibit. I still have no idea how to play Microsurgeon, but dang that game had some amazing graphics for back in the day. Plus Imagic had some of the best games for the system, and they deserve the recognition.