Sunday, September 9, 2012

The Art of Video Games

The very existence of Robert Ebert's article, "Video Games Can Never Be Art" verifies the art within video games. In his article, Ebert critiques games and tells why they are not art and won't be in our lifetimes, yet the very examination of these games is not unlike the lens used to critique 'art'. The reactions he has to the 3 games Kelee Santiago defends as being characteristic of art; are what makes mere creation into art. Humans have the power to create; it is our closest link to the divine, whether using a brush to paint a picture, pen to write novel, camera to capture film or computers to develop a video game; these things are created but do not become art until reaching an AUDIENCE. Creation becomes art during the event in which an audience (viewer, reader, critic, gamer) interacts with the work of the creator. Through this transactional experience the audience member can learn about themselves, characters, settings and humanity as a whole or become inspired to create something of a different medium, or articulate thought based on experience within a medium of art.

So let's be clear here, video games are created through sketches, animation, coding, developing, sound tracking, and writing lore; many of these components considered to be 'high art' on their own merit.

Therefore, video games (upon being played and interacting with an audience) are, at the very least a form of art and may very well be considered the most viable, engaging form of art in modern times.

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