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Jul 12 – Video Games - Posted By SomeGuy
...But Is It Art? These Guys Think So!
"Can video games be art?" That has been the question poking around in today's world of critics, partakers and cynics. Well, according to the National Endowment for the Arts - America's largest public patron for the arts - they most definitely are. This month the NEA pledged to help fund a modern art exhibition of computer games created by five game designers from Europe and the United States.
"2Player: Computers. Games. Art." is the new exhibition starting up this month and running all summer at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester, England; it explores the question of video games as art. Featured designers include Mark Essen Paolo Perdicini, whose gaming pieces have already found places in galleries in America, England, Greece and Brazil. And, as noted by the exhibit's name, most of these artful games on display are indeed for two players.
With the National Endowment for the Arts footing money to the project, a rather influential name has officially made a stance in the debate. It's fun to think that a year ago film critic Roger Ebert - also a rather influential name - opined that video games could never be art. I guess the NEA's funding makes it an even playing field now.
Playing field. Heh.
