What constitutes good art? In the early 20th century, we most certainly would have discounted Jackson Pollack’s work as dribbles and splashes of paint, and even 10 years ago the graphic novel was seen as a mere comic book. So what about the graphics and artwork in computer games?
As technology improves and the ability to display higher-quality graphics in computer games has become the norm, we are starting to see increasingly complex and deliberate artwork appearing on the horizon.
Whether or not you should consider the deeper implications of computer games as part of the art world will be left up to the individual in a new exhibition opening in The Source Arts Centre in Thurles, Co Tipperary on Friday, 5 June, and running until 25 July.
The exhibition is called ‘The Art of the Computer Game’, and it invites the visitor to explore an interactive installation where they become part of the experience.
With standard projectors running through standalone PCs, the gameplay is controlled through Guitar Herodrum controllers and the projections are displayed on the gallery walls surrounded by virtual rococo style frames.
Artwork and three-dimensional models are on loan from a number of video-game companies, and video games including Age of Empires, Gala Network’s Dragonica and PopCap’s Pegglewill also feature in the exhibition.
“The whole idea of the exhibition is to blur the boundaries between both the world of the computer game and the arts world,” said Dermot O’Reilly from The Source Arts Centre.
By Marie Boran
Pictured: artwork from online role playing game Dragonica