Posted by Michelle Parnett on 02/03/2012
From Man Ray and Elizabeth Lee Miller to Picasso and Marie-Therese Walter, the story of an artist and his muse proves just as striking as the artwork itself. Today, video games both inspire art and serve as a muse. Three different video game projects recently caught my fancy.
A few years ago, I went to see The Artist is Present at the Museum of Modern Art. Marina Abramović sat in a chair for nearly three months, and as part of her performance piece, museum guests sat in the chair directly across from the artist in search of an emotional connection. The line to sit with Abramović remained ever present and as it turns out, my patience was not. I got another chance to experience the exhibit, however, when I played The Artists is Present video game. Dr. Pippin Barr from IT University in Copenhagen created the video game to portray the experience of contemporary art. Barr’s game sent me to the museum virtually—through the ticket line, through a few galleries complete with an 8-bit Van Gogh and Matisse, and then back into another line to wait for Abramović. Just as with the actual exhibit, my patience lasted less than 15 minutes. I attempted to cut the line and was reminded that this seemed “like it would be rude.” Proper etiquette is a must in this game.
Posted by Shannon Symonds on 01/13/2012
When I heard about Bioware’s 2011 release of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic (SW:TOR), nostalgia consumed me and I immediately added it to my wish list. This holiday season, the game proved the shiniest toy under my tree. SW:TOR puts the player in the center of conflict between the…
Posted by Jon-Paul C. Dyson on 12/22/2011
We do! Recently, news reports cited as wasteful spending a $113,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games to preserve video games. We disagree. We believe video games not only are the most dynamic, exciting, and innovative form of media today…
Posted by Jon-Paul C. Dyson on 12/21/2011
The more than 140 arcade cabinets ICHEG owns are key components of our tens of thousands of video games and related artifacts. Our arcade cabinets range from early pioneers like Computer Space and Pong to rare titles like a stand-up Discs of Tron and the only copy of Sega’s giant Tetris in North America. Still,…
Posted by Michelle Parnett on 12/12/2011
Last month, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered aired a piece titled “Why Do We Hate The Sound of Fingernails On a Chalkboard?” Musicologist Michael Oehler reported that this sound produces a frequency that reaches the most sensitive spot of the human ear and creates an amplified “open ear gain.” He further explained that some…
Posted by Shannon Symonds on 12/02/2011
Numerous organizations annually honor top video games. Spike TV will soon announce its “Game of the Year” prize during the network’s Video Game Awards show. Every gamer I’ve spoken to agrees that 2011 proved an amazing year for games, both in terms of increased graphical capabilities and storyline developments. The Spike TV VGA Advisory Council,…
Posted by Michelle Parnett on 11/10/2011
When I was eleven years old, my dad took me to see the Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge concert. The stage erupted with inflatable skeletons, giant Jagger-like cartoon lips flashed across a jumbo screen, and Mick Jagger strutted across stage. I was sold—it was rock n’ roll and I not only liked it, I loved it….
Posted by Shannon Symonds on 11/02/2011
The best part about creating an avatar is that a player has free rein to become whatever or whoever she wishes. Want to become a blue-skinned troll or a pink-haired elf? Want a perfect body without setting foot in the gym? You’ve got it! Want to partake in a love story filled with knights and…
Posted by Eric Wheeler on 10/21/2011
Ashton, my five-year-old son, loves playing video games on his Nintendo Wii. His favorites include Disney Epic Mickey, Hot Wheels: Beat That!, and Wii Sports Resort; he plays the New Super Mario Bros. Wii the most. I’m also a huge fan of the game, and we often team up as Mario and Luigi in the…
Posted by Michelle Parnett on 10/14/2011
Zombies, witches, vampires, monsters, and other blood curdling creatures invaded pop culture centuries ago. While I’m not big on gory thrills, I am a fan of other ghoulish delights. I fill each October calendar day with some Halloween activity. With video game titles like Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ and A Vampyre Story, I…
