Existing comment:
Christmas 1980 was the year that I received a gift of untold mystery and excitement that would ultimately chart the trajectory for my future career – the Commodore VIC-20. This amazing little device was able to transport me to worlds beyond my dreams; worlds that I could create, control and type into existence. Learning to program that little machine opened up a fascinating world and a love for science, storytelling, and art.
The short, yet prolific forty-year history of video games offers some of the deepest personal and globally connecting experiences in human history. Of course, many games never aspire to be anything more than an adrenaline pump, where high scores rule and the loosest of stories hold the game together. The common thread, regardless of intent, is that they are an amalgam of disciplines-storytelling, animation, music and cinematography-whose sum are greater than its parts. This defines a new art medium that is beyond traditional definitions used in the fine art world. I find this fascinating and truly inspiring.
Using the cultural lens of an art museum, viewers can determine whether the games on display are indeed worthy of the title of "art." Some visitors will encounter a game that transports them back to their childhood, or gain insight into how games are made. My hope is that people will leave the exhibition with an understanding that video games are so much more than what they first thought. They may even be art.
-- Chris Melissinos, guest curator. |