BBC Debate: Games Aren't Art ... Yet

[Bishop99999999]

Yeah, well I don't think that a skinny pale college student living naked in a motel room for a month slinging his own feces at a painting of Jesus in a Nazi uniform is art, but he still gets grants from the NEA. Who are we to judge?

Video games are art. We are currently in the droll repetition of popular themes period.

 

[Ickorus]

All the AAA titles aren't art but there are several indie games I can think of that would fit the demographic, for instance The Stanley Parable.

Not his fault at all but he needs to go deeper.

GAMECEPTION

 

[Vegetunks9000]

Me thinks they should get him to play Child of Eden

 

[Preacher zer0]

oh come on... there are countless lauded absract paintings of cubes and colored stripes... They are considered art by the big artsy farts, how much does a black cube on a white canvas make you "question your life"?

What qualifies as art is subjective to an individual's ability to appreciate the piece in question.

I would consier ICO to be closer to "art" than say... an unmade bed in a room in the Tate gallery.

IMO the fact that such a debate even exists means games MUST be art.

Anyway most art heads who are also involved in gaming do consider games to be art and well frankly they are the only ones qualified to judge.

I doubt any of the "art experts" in this debate have ever finished SotC so they're arguing from ignorance.

 

[ionveau]

Video games are art the same way porn is art, porn is mass produced, such as bringing out a new COD game every year, movies cant bring out a new movie with the same name every year, porn can.

 

[Mr Somewhere]

I would contest with his definition of art. I think his logic sound, though I don't agree with him, but I find that his opinion is valid. I would like to think that there are a number of games that are at some point going to be viewed as early classics, but for the moment we've a long way to go.
Even those with higher intent are at times awkward in their delivery.

 

[Carnagath]

"I'd suggest that the things we really consider art are the things that allow us to ask profound questions about who we are, how we live and the state of the world around us."

Oh, wow. Really? This guy is director of an art institute? That's what art is? So, if something doesn't cause you to ask "profound questions", but just has a great emotional impact on you, it's not actually art? So, it's pretty safe to assume that, according to him, the painting used in this article's OP, The Scream, is not art, because it doesn't make you question your life and the world around you. Where do they find these clowns, seriously...

 

[Frostbite3789]

I'd say the fact that they combine many different artistic forms into one, would make them qualify, but ok.

You have writing, artists, digital artists, directors, musicians and much more.

So, how can you say something that combines many different forms of art, isn't art itself?

 

[Kurai Angelo]

Why does any discussion of art have to at some point mention Tracy Emin/Damian Hurst in a negative light. Seriously, it's as guarenteed as Nazis showing up in a thread...

Especially in this OP mentioning her was completely pointless.

 

[TheBritishAreComing]

Games aren't art? What about Bastion? That was a piece of art. Same with Limbo, The Witcher 1 & 2, Aquaria, Braid, and Amnesia (at least in my opinion). How could these games not be considered art? He must only be looking at mainstream titles, who continue to cater to the mainstream mass, who couldn't understand art if it broke their nose.

 

[SageRuffin]

Jesus, we're talking about this again?! Can't we just play the fucking video games and be done with it?

I like good graphics, sound, and narrative as much as the next guy, but can't we let this rest already? D:

 

[Carnagath]

Asking whether something is "Art" or not is pointless. The question is wrong in itself, because there is no official uncontested definition of what art is. It's a personal question. What is art for someone, is NOT art for someone else. A toilet is not art for me, but apparently it is to others. Jackson Pollock's lines are also not art for me, because when I look at them I feel nothing and they seem completely pointless. For other people, he is one of the greatest artists that ever lived. That's fine. Can we just agree to that and go on with our lives?

 

[The Last Nomad]

Games are art, no question about it. Even the boxs they come in are art. But I suppose it really depends on what your opinion of what art is, and I don't mean to sound like an asshole about this but if your opinion of art differs from mine, I don't care if you consider games are art or not. To me they are.

 

[TheDoctor455]

Uhh...
Two Words:

Planescape. Torment.


Well hell...
most of Black Isle/Troika/Obsidian's work could count.

 

[Stealthfighterx]

Dear Esther comes to mind...

 

[Artemicion]

The NEA disagrees. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109835-Games-Now-Legally-Considered-an-Art-Form-in-the-USA]

That is all.

 

[theriddlen]

I hate it when people try to say what is art and what is not. It's a subjective term - you may think of something as art, and i may disagree.
Also, let me put it this way:
-Books are considered art.
-Music is considered art.
-Movies are considered art.
->GAMES include
-Books (for example, DA had 9 novels of text)
-Music (often made by famous composers)
-Movies (some games have tens of hours of cutscenes)
-Code
Still don't think games are art?

 

[Szayel Aporro Granz]

I'm sorry but to everyone saying that entertainment is art...

Jersey Shore

I love Jersey Shore I have never missed an episode, but it is clearly NOT art.

Other the other topic of whether or not games can qualify as art~~

Some can, and other can't, and in different ways. A certain artistic style in a videogame can be considered art, the quality of the graphics, to a degree, could be considered art, the narrative of a videogame could be considered art, even how the ideologies that the creators expressed in the game could be considered art. There are some videogames that are just not art in some of these aspects. For example, Saint's Row. The ideologies are clear in that videogame and are expressed through a gang. That, in some cases could be considered art. Then you have games like Final Fantasy XIII in which the graphics completely blew me away, as did the music. Okami (never played but I've seen a bunch of stuff about it) has an amazing art style, as does Borderlands. Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger have AMAZING depth of character and story and could be considered art.

~~

That is all...

 

[harvz]

from what i saw from that skyrim trailer thing, i think it has a bit of potential to be considered art, other than that, there are many games i would consider to be artsy, most are from ps2 days but still.

 

[Speakercone]

Anytime someone says that x or y is or is not art, I ask for a definition.

If you tell me your definition of art and then tell me, for reasons of illustration, why x or y would or would not fit, then we can have a conversation about whether your definition holds up to scrutiny, perhaps forming a new definition which describes what we want it to.

We could do that like rational adults; or we could have you make a declarative statement then leave. Either way works, but one of those ways makes you look like an asshole.