Smithsonian To Open Exhibition On Games As Art

[ghstman]

Good news! In another step toward garnering recognition for games as an art form, the Smithsonian Institute in DC has announced that they will be holding an exhibition on just that. Focus will be on the visually striking, the technically innovative, and the culturally significant. The plan is to cover games from all systems and time periods, reaching as far back as Pac-Man. The exhibition will be around for the coming summer and then some, opening March 16th, 2012 and closing September 30th, 2012. More details about the content of the show - including a list of games featured - are in the article. I for one really want to get my friends together to go see this. Anyone else planning to go? It's only an hour drive for me, but I get the feeling some of you will be coming from much further.

http://americanart.si.edu//exhibitions/archive/2012/games/index.cfm

I apologize if this should be somewhere else, but given its gaming centric nature, I thought gaming discussion would be the best place for it. Also, does anyone know where that "Hot Tips" link got to? I figure it couldn't hurt to get one of the writers to put up something professional on the front page. Drumming up support for what can only be an awesome gallery of gaming can only be a good thing.

Credit to the Entertainment Consumers Association for the link on Facebook.

 

[AyreonMaiden]

Ohhhhmmmmm hoa hoa hoooohhhh im drinking moe and the chandon and appreciating interactive aaaaaahhhhhhtttttt. BRAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIID MADE ME CRYYYYYY BUUUHUUUHUUUUUUUUU THE HUMAN CONDITION IN video gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaames.

Seriously though, good for gaming. The current SOPA climate makes me happy to see anything that can help protect gaming from future censorship. I gotta say though, looking at that list and speaking as a fanboy of this series, I'm persistently shocked at how truly respected The Legend of Zelda is and it puts into perspective how small the minority of detractors is. I mean, five separate Zelda games made the cut?!

 

[Erttheking]

This...I cannot describe the amount of win here.

 

[Sonicron]

Browsing through the list of games, I can't help but feel something's missing. I'm not into it anymore, but considering the sheer amount of impact it had and the fact that it practically defined its own genre, I think World of Warcraft would have deserved a spot.

 

[ghstman]

Browsing through the list of games, I can't help but feel something's missing. I'm not into it anymore, but considering the sheer amount of impact it had and the fact that it practically defined its own genre, I think World of Warcraft would have deserved a spot.

I've never played it myself, but given how it basically became the defining game for MMOs everywhere, I'd have to agree with you. As for all the Zelda titles, I'd point out that while Wind Waker probably wasn't the strongest game in the series, they likely included it for the unique art style.

As for Bioshock, I hope they just have one great big TV at the entrance playing the first five minutes of the game on a loop. If any game could make the argument that a game - based heavily in violence - can be visually striking, moving, and terrifying enough to be art, it's Bioshock. It's the Silence of the Lambs or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest of the video game world.

 

[omicron1]

Extra credit if they invite Roger Ebert to speak at the ribbon-cutting.

In all seriousness, though, bravo. I do wonder what will be featured... and how. And what about violence? Will they have M-rated exhibits where kids aren't allowed to look?

 

[War Penguin]

Browsing through the list of games, I can't help but feel something's missing. I'm not into it anymore, but considering the sheer amount of impact it had and the fact that it practically defined its own genre, I think World of Warcraft would have deserved a spot.

Forget WoW [small](though I will note that it was very influential in the MMO genre and gaming in general)[/small]! What about PONG?!? I mean... it's freaking Pong!

Ah well. This is a good list. However, as you can see, I sort of raise my eyebrow at how some games made it and others didn't. Halo 2 beating Halo CE, for example. I have a feeling that some gamers will rage over what games didn't make the cut, but meh. Fuck 'em. This is a good list.

I'm just happy Okami made it.

 

[BarbaricGoose]

Good to see Heavy Rain on that list. Loved that game.

And Diablo 2, huh? Neat-o.

Also: MGS2 made it in, but not 4? WHAAAAAT?

 

[ghstman]

Extra credit if they invite Roger Ebert to speak at the ribbon-cutting.

In all seriousness, though, bravo. I do wonder what will be featured... and how. And what about violence? Will they have M-rated exhibits where kids aren't allowed to look?

An interesting thought. I know with a lot of them they're just using blown up still images, like the one in the article of the Illusive Man's office overlooking the star. It might be hard to capture the emotion or the atmosphere of a game with a still shot though. I dunno, it's the Smithsonian though, so they'll do a good job with it.