myartspace Open forum » Art- General

1. balhatain
   Member

   Or can they be considered art? I've read a few interesting articles about the subject. Included one at the bottom. Due to the advances in video games-- the fact that a video game can involve a massive world full of details-- can a video game created for recreation be considered a work of art or at least be viewed in a similar manner as art involving technology? Seems to be a lot of debate about this topic in gaming communities. Due to how involved games like Fallout 3 and the Grand Theft Auto series are I would think it could at least be considered. Your thoughts?

   http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=299

   Posted 7 months ago #

2. scversillee
   Member

   Interesting paper.

   As someone who dips a toe in that world pretty often, yes I can tell you that at least in my humble POV video games are art. It takes lots of time, talent, skill and mastery to make a well done game. Take a trip over to www.cgtalk.com and look at the extraordinary work that is regularly produced there, www.gameartisans.org/ is another prominent example.

   This definition of what "is" and what "isn't" art hinges often times on elitist ideologies and territorial tactics to keep certain types of artists neatly categorized and contained.

   Posted 7 months ago #

3. pwruiz
   Member

   I am not a gamer, but I know guys who are. If art is something that should add to, challenge or extend our social and cultural awareness, then I I have yet to see any evidence of this. So I don't consider it art. No doubt, gaming reflects and responds to a preferred form of entertainment or social interaction (especially amongst males), but so does stripping in a night club - which it could be argued would take some time, talent, skill and mastery to do well. Should we then be debating that too as form of artistic expression as opposed to entertainment? And if so, then where will all this lead...?

   Open to considering alternative views here.

   Posted 7 months ago #

4. avabacka
   Member

   Yep, a video game can certainly be art. Here's a link to a free game an artist friend of mine made a few years back. http://www.maxmagnusnorman.com/abashera_free_3d_game.shtml
   I think it qualifies as art.

   Posted 5 months ago #

5. SpikeJoyce
   Member

   Hello, not to purposely go against everyone else, I'd like to say 'No', In my opinion a computer game cannot be a work of art.

   These are my reasons:

   I consider a work of art to be greater than the sum of it's parts. For example the Mona Lisa is an oil painting of a woman, it is more than JUST layers of oil paint on a canvas. However there are many many examples of pieces which are equally oil paintings of women in oil on canvas which are not 'works of art' - in my opinion. The difference being not of tacit bracketting but of quality. We are inundated by hobby painters/drawers/ fans of TV and video 'how to' programmes which can 'teach' how to paint flowers in watercolours etc. These works are not art, (and why should we belittle that tiny word) - These works are not Art, they are the reduced sediment of over exercised stylisation which has mastered the 'look' of art without any of it's immenance/soul/gravitas.

   A video game takes you on one predestined route. Nothing within it's structure is left to chance, no subconscious aspect of the artist remains tacit to invoke content beyond mere appearance. In art we lose ourselves to discover a space/being intuitively, returning to our own outlook of life enrichened with a slightly different perspective, can you define everything which defines you and your own perspective? No, it would be reductive, meagre!

   I was onced asked why I don't draw from photographs, only from life... it's the same as sex, which is better, masturbating over porn or having real sex?

   Check out Jean Baudrillard 'Simulacra and Simulation' and 'the Transparency of Evil'.

   :)

   Posted 5 months ago #

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