Video Games: Are They Art? | GameNTrain.com

When most people think of a game, they don?t even begin to compare it to works of art created by Picasso or Rembrandt.? Instead, they think of it as something that young people do to pass the time, or see it as a time waster.? Some have even gone so far as to say that in principle, video games cannot be art.? What they don?t know is that video games over the years have slowly evolved into an art form in more ways than one.

The definition of art is ?the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.?? Notice that the definition says that art is typically expressed in a visual form.? The definition does not place limitations upon what art truly is.? Through the years, we have described different books and movies as ?works of art,? so why does society view video games differently when they are an application of human creative skill and a product of human imagination?

One argument that is brought up frequently is that video games contain rules, regulations, interaction, and goals whereas art does not.? However, does not one interact with art?? Art not only appeals to the visual senses, but also touches the emotions, and can immerse people into a story.? Plato and Aristotle said that ?art is the imitation of nature.?? If you look at the definition of nature, there are several definitions for the word.? In the case of Plato and Aristotle, their meaning lies not only in the essence of nature, but also life and what exists in the world as we know it.? If art is nature?s imitation, and games imitate life, then should not games be considered art?? They include graphic design that continues to become more beautiful over the years, narratives to immerse the player into the story, and characterizations that allow a player to connect with the hero or heroine. All of these examples imitate nature in some way or form.

Another argument that is often made is that it is a collaborative work by different individuals to create one piece, whereas art is done by one artist.? If this argument were to hold, then one could no longer consider cathedrals to be works of art, as they are the product of many individuals to form a completed product.? Additionally, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel could no longer be included in the category of art as Michelangelo had help with his painting, as well as suggestions that came from his patrons.? Furthermore, expanding further on this argument, works of art in music by more than one artist or composer would no longer be considered art if this argument was valid.

One might wonder where exactly video games might fit into the world of arts and fine arts.? It obviously would not go into the category of sculpture and paintings, nor is it in the same category as a theater production or operetta.? The genre that video games would most appropriately fit into would be mass art or popular art.? Mass and popular art are seen within television and movies.? Although video games should fit in this category, they are still fundamentally different than television and movies.? To elaborate, video games as well as television and movies are both venues that the audience or player can immerse themselves in.? Movies and video games are able to communicate to us, especially when the character on screen does something ?out of the box? and addresses the audience and player.? The big difference lies in the ability of the audience or player to address the game.? Video games are able to cross this threshold and provide full interactivity into the story, whereas a movie can only immerse you in it.

Leo Tolstoy said that every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with him who produced, or is producing the art, and with those who simultaneously, previously, or subsequently receive the same artistic impression.? With millions of gamers worldwide who agree with each other on how a game made them feel, and with no definite definition on what art actually is, how could video games possibly not be art?

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Sources:

Roger Ebert?s Journal: Video games can never be art
Leo Tolstoy?s What is Art (Excerpts)

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This is a paper that I will be turning in on Monday for my English Composition course.? Although I firmly believe that video games should be considered art (and they are, in fact, recognized as that by the US Supreme Court) I want GNT readers? opinion on the subject.? What do you think?

Source: http://gamentrain.com/2011/09/video-games-are-they-art/

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