Tomorrow, a new kind of art exhibition is going to open in Toronto: Artcade.
This will mark the culmination of years of activisim on the part of people
like Toby Grindley (owner of Microplay) and 12 other Greater Toronto artists.
Together, this group has strived to represent video games as not "inferior
to film and literature." The art on show is inspired by the world of video
games. Objects like the "1 UP" mushroom in Super Mario Brothers that spits
spores and lights up are said to be the main attractions. While Grindley
and the other artists agree that video games have not been around as long
as other art (their examples are "literature" and film) they still have "credibility"
in their own way. While those involved with this exhibition (taking place
at Grindley's store in Toronto) maintain, on the one hand, that video games
offer a new kind of window on the art world, on the other hand they explain
that games are just "a different way to experience a story." So, in this
realm, narrative still plays an important part. In times of yore, E.A. asked
"can computers make you cry," this lot say that "good video games tell a
story, just like movies and books." The problem with the industry is that
it is driven by profit-making (monetizing) and thus is "less creative at
storytelling and more driven by profit." I wonder now if the question changes
from choosing between interaction or immersion to story or money?
For further information about the games exhibition and samples of art check
out: http://www.wire-fu.com/artcade/
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