The Smithsonian American Art Museum has announced that it will hold an exhibit entitled The Art of Video Games, an in-depth look at the birth and growth of videogames as an artistic medium.
Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian American Art Museum was founded in 1829 and displays works from across the United States and all the significant art movements that have occurred in the country over the past two centuries. While there have been other exhibits of art inspired by videogames, the museum says this new exhibit will be the first to “examine comprehensively the evolution of videogames themselves as an artistic medium.”
“Videogames have grown to become a significant part of our culture since the introduction of the first home video games in the early 1970s. More than seventy percent of American households play videogames on a regular basis, and many families now have two generations of computer users, and gamers, at home,” the Smithsonian said. “From the Atari VCS to the Playstation 3, The Art of Video Games will show the development of visual effects and aesthetics during four decades, the emergence of games as a means for storytelling, the influence of world events and popular culture on game development, and the impact that the games can have on society.”
The display will include videogame footage, interviews with developers and artists, screenshots, working game consoles for visitors to play and more. Game industry expert Chris Melissinos, chief gaming officer at Sun Microsystems and the founder of JavaGaming.org, will be the guest curator of the exhibit.
The Art of Video Games will run from March 16 to September 9, 2012 – yes, that’s 2012, so you have lots of time to schedule around it. For more information, head on over to americanart.si.edu.
