The Smithsonian American Art Museum presents The Art of Video Games, an exhibition open March 16, 2012 – September 30, 2012.
The Art of Video Games is the first exhibition to explore the forty-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies.
Matt Rhodes, Mass Effect 2, 2010, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows © 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners
The exhibition will feature some of the most influential artists and designers during five eras of game technology, from early developers such as David Crane and Warren Robinett to contemporary designers like Kellee Santiago and David Jaffe. It also will explore the many influences on game designers, and the pervasive presence video games have in the broader popular culture, with new relationships to video art, film and television, educational practices, and professional skill training. Chris Melissinos, founder of Past Pixels and collector of video games and gaming systems, is the curator of the exhibition.
New technologies have allowed designers to create increasingly interactive and sophisticated game environments while staying grounded in traditional game types. The exhibition will feature eighty games through still images and multimedia elements. In addition, the galleries will include video interviews with developers and artists, large prints of in-game screen shots, historic game consoles, and a selection of playable games. Visitors will be able to connect with the content of the show across generations, from those who remember the classics such as Pitfall! and Pac-Man to those playing contemporary games like Flower and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
From February 14 through April 7, 2011, the public is invited to help select games to be included in the exhibition. You can vote online for eighty games from a pool of 240 proposed choices in various categories, divided by era, game type, and platform. Tell us what you think about the exhibition through the voting site, or join the conversation on Twitter by using #taovg and following @americanart.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Eighth and F Streets N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Open daily 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
AmericanArt.si.edu