Henry Jenkins once famously said "Videogames represent a new lively art... They open up new aesthetic experiences and transform the computer screen into a realm of experimentation and innovation that is broadly accessible". We're not entirely sure who Jenkins is but Merge reckons he's onto something. So too does the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.
All this month the ACMI is hosting Game On: "the first major exhibition in Australia to explore the history and culture of videogames, one of the most powerful and popular forms of the moving image."
In the name of science, and probably more-so, art, Merge sent resident designer Tommaso Pascale to ol' Melbourne Town to conclusively prove whether or not videogames are art.
Tom, what were your first impressions?
Well there was no Mortal Kombat, which I thought was a huge let down. I think Mortal Kombat is a pivotal game and its omission from a "games history" is a huge oversight on the ACMI curators behalf. I wasn't allowed to take photos inside either.
So not a good start?
No, no, it was impressive. The entrance was all dark and there were games enlarged on the walls when you walked down the stairs. When you came out into the middle of the installation there were game consoles everywhere. It was a bit of a free-for-all. I was just like a little kid, because the games are all around you and while I would play one for a bit, then I'd get bored and run on to the next game. They had every game console you could imagine from Commodore 64 right through to the latest.
Did it feel like you were in a museum?
Little bit but in this museum people were walking around playing games. You kind of needed to go there with someone else to play two-player games. The atmosphere was a bit nerdish, a bit exclusive. There were lots of school kids around as well. The arcade section was cool. There were proper arcade machines to play and they were all free.
Sounds like paradise. What were highlights?
Street Fighter II and Mario.
How long did you spend on Street Fighter?
Oh a little while because I was playing against Gavin my sister's fiance. My sister and I had a showdown too because when we were younger she would always choose Blanka and do the the farkin electricity thing. I didn't have anything against that move because I was always Guile.
What was the result of the rematch?
I lost. She always manages to beat me. She cheats, using that electricity move is cheating.
So were you conclusively able to establish the merit of videogames as an artistic medium? Are videogames art?
Probably, yeah. They... yep - art.
GAME ON runs all the rest of this month and up to the 13th of July. Entry is $15.
