1) In
your opinion, what are some key features of the kinds of things we call “art”?
To most students in our group, art has to
be aesthetic and has expressions. Innovation is another important feature of
art. Some students think art should also be able to express the artist’s
feelings and views through different media. One thinks art may be something
that cannot be easily understood and not close to our daily life.
2) How
does Adams define art in your reading? Do you
agree with his definition?
3) Can
videogames be classified as art? What does Adams
say? What do you think?
According to Adams , some
videogames can be classified as art in the condition that they contain
narrative elements and can express author’s ideas in an aesthetic way. To us,
videogames can be called as art if they are meaningful, with content and
aesthetic value. Innovative elements should be contained too. The combination
of storyline, music and images in the videogames should be well-designed.
I think videogames can be a kind of art because they have creative elements, such as graphics, storytelling and music. They have innovative combination of designs for backgrounds, settings and characters.
For instance, Mary Flanagan's "domestic" is a well-designed videogame. It is a three-dimentional computer game and an oddly constructed domestic space has been shown. The space extends endlessly and conceptually. The environment of the game consists of confusing perceptions—large layered hypertexts on walls, and narrow hallways that look familiar but not completely. Throughout the maze-like game, the player experiences the flames of the fire and shoots at the flames or different texts. We can find abstact designs, as well as a mix of photographic images and unstable texts throughtout the conceptual spacem, which are definitely elements of art. It seems that the artist is inviting the players to explore the world she has comstructed and experience with her memory. The artist creates the environment of the game, which the player creates the action in the game—a collaboration of collective memory and experience.
The work approaches interactive storytelling conventions by loosely depicting a childhood memory of a house fire. She challenges the idea of how we interact with technology and asks viewers and participants to join in her quest to blend human narrative in all parts of our daily life. It contains elements of narrative --- as mentioned by Ernest Adam, their narrative elements can be subjected to the same criticism as other narrative art.
Leanne comments : I agree with the point that you've mentioned about the abstract and graphic desgin in the game are definitely elements of art. It's because they are all aesthetic. Besides the aesthetic elements you've mentioned, I think the videogame also contains a kind of interaction or communication between the author and the player, that is to invite the player to get involved in her memory, which I think it can also be one of the criteria for videogame to be an art. =)
回覆刪除Anna Au: Good description about the chosen video game! Clear and informative. Your review on this game was convincing, and I agree that the visual design of the game, which is the combination of different images, is aesthetic quality. And the interactive way of communication between the audience and the artwork is one of the distinctive characteristics of many kinds of contemporary art, which is innovative idea and quite challenging towards conventional art. But it would be better if you can elaborate more on the narrative part of the game.
回覆刪除Pansy Da Roza:
回覆刪除Rona, you have clear description about the example you chose and about whether video games should be classified as art or not. I share similar thinking as yours too! And I think one thing different from other arts, audience can participate more in video games!