WARNING: THERE IS A LOT OF LINKS YOU NEED TO PASTE IN ORDER TO PROCEED. I AM BAD WITH LINKING SO IF YOU READ, PLEASE VIEW THE IMAGES OR ELSE MY POINTS ARE MOOT.

My friend and I got to discussing the power of movies and music in day to day life. The obvious answer is that the sway was enormous not only on a creative level but also on the day to day as well as life itself. We returned to watching Friday Night Stand up. During my lecture in Art History, my teacher mentioned how he was a huge Sci-Fi buff and that some movies ( a one with guys running with blades and an odyssey that takes place in 2001 ) were some of his favorite movies. One guy yells out he should play mass effect, and he seemed perfectly ok with the idea granted someone would lend him a 360 and the game. This triggered something inside me (Art history class + Games ) That’s right folks, you all know where I will go with this. I feel sick and dirty, but this is something I have to do now to get out of my system.

Games as art, an argument many have debated, but I want to take a perspective of how much art has in common with games. NOTE! I am in art HISTORY class, I am in no way a talented artist that knows the skill it takes to create a masterpiece, but I do have the HISTORICAL background to be able take this discussion above (barely) the superficial level. ONWARD MARCH

My first game I will be tackling is something that was discussed fairly recently, and that is Heavy Rain. The art piece I will relate it to is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_teresa_di_bernini_03.JPG

Gian Lorenzo Bernini- The alchemist of marble

This man is the God among Baroque sculptors. Whatever he touches becomes a beautiful masterpiece that transcends stone into flesh. Now to be honest this first example is a throw away. It is a reference to any good (hopefully considered “artistic”) Next Gen graphic game that turned pixels into something human. I haven’t played the game so…But the sculptures pretty right? (Bonus Points: the sculpture also tells a story)

We move on to something more debatable. A game I had played, and gave me that OH SHIIIIIII moment and was sure someone was going to compare to art. That game is Braid. And for him I have chosen a work that still comes from the Baroque period ( Hey guys, guess which art period is my favorite)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Michelangelo_Caravaggio_018.jpg
BOOM! yeah, did you see that? Caravaggio. The premier painter of his time and the bad boy of the Vatican. Like I said this will be Historical as well as visual, so history lesson. Caravaggio was indeed for all intents and purposes a bad person. He and his drunk gang would howl down the hallowed Roman streets to cause havoc. But he was talented, and during the time of art, talent was something that was valued. He usually painted his way out of petty crimes, but not so lucky this time. He had committed murder. The painting is actually a self portrait, and the decapitated Goliath is none other than the monster that is Caravaggio. The ending of Braid revealed SPOILER SPOILER
(the dude was the bad guy). He was the Goliath, just as how Caravaggio was. Both are tales of redemption and self realization of their true monstrous selves. I like to believe that Caravaggio was truly sorry for the murder, after all it was in a consented duel.

Now, about a game that has gotten the editorial staff to relate to a deep, existentialist commentary on modern games. No More Heroes 2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PicassoGuernica.jpg

Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. Chaotic, loud, powerful. The painting was one done after Spain’s dictator Francisco allowed Hitler to test some bombs on a small Spanish city. The painting at first glance is painted to show emotion, emotions of anger and fear. But the painting is more than just feeling, it is filled with subtle symbolism. The bull, a proud symbol of both Spain and masculinity is standing there confused, as to wonder how the state could allow its pride and its people to be slaughtered like well… cattle. The wounded soldier beneath the horse his hand shot out, and on his palm his stigmata, a representation of Christ, defeated. All while under the Light, a symbol interpreted as the eye of God. Enough symbolism for you symbologists out there? NMH has a lot of symbolism (apparently) and so does Guernica, all wrapped up in a violent, bloody, emotional powerhouse. (also the cubism kind of relates to NMH’s wii graphics)


Now how about that survival horror genre? Yes, I could easily pick any number of pieces to show the dark, scary style. Munch’s The scream is a common and cliché example. But what about for Silent Hill 2? A game that prides itself in being a psychological thriller that disturbs as well as provoke thought? For Silent Hill, since it’s divided into two sections a nightmare as well as a creepy section, I chose two pieces.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_130.jpg
Didn’t see that coming did you? This is Rembrandt’s self portrait. Rembrandt is known in the art world with mastering a certain aspect of the human psyche through light, that it is properly known as psychological lighting. Can you see it? The very working of the man’s soul, the emotion and history behind that face. But for the nightmares.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saturno_devorando_a_sus_hijos.jpg
Here is Goya’s Saturn Devouring his Children , a piece that is demonic in every sense of the word, but you can see can’t you? The same atmospheric, deep lighting used by Rembrandt. As if the monster was hit by a spot light and it looks at us, the viewer, as if ashamed and at the same time dismissive of our judgments, for this beast acts upon his own savage impulses.

Finally, I will bring art down to the level of blockbuster videogames. Insert (Modern Bro-fare 2, Uncharted 2, Halo, FFXIII) here, and I will present you a work that is the historical equivalent to these blockbusters.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sistine_Chapel_ceiling_left.png



I’m serious. The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Historians understand that Michelangelo was a genius, and I am in no way calling him superficial. But the ceiling has been noted as one that Michelangelo did not particularly care for. He did not half ass it because the church commissioned it, but the debate that it mocks the church is ongoing. Now pay close attention to this. Blockbuster qualities: Superficial, Big Budget, High Profile talent.

Superficial: The Vatican demanded a paint by numbers type style for the ceiling, and Michelangelo gave everything they wanted, just with his own personal flare and talent

Big Budget: Paints aren’t cheap, and to hire Michelangelo takes some serious cash

High Profile Talent: MICHELANGELO!!!!!!


I’m done.

I don’t want to write about games for awhile.

No where did I mention whether or not I think games are art.[url][/url][url]