As many geeks have been saying for a while now (and as I’ve started earlier), video games should be considered art. Now it appears that the general masses, or at least one of the most well-known art museums, is starting to accept that fact.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum, located in Washington, D.C., is opening an exhibit titled “The Art of Video Games” in March of 2012. Not only are they setting up what they feel are the most artistic displays of pixelated power, but they are asking the general public to have input on what games should be displayed.
If you head over to artofvideogames.org, you can sign up to register and cast your vote for your favorite games in lots of different categories. You can vote for games hailing from the 1970s and 80s to the present. There are three different games selected for the genres, and you can cast your votes for each console that existed at the time.
In total, you will vote for about 80 games to be displayed at the museum.
To be honest, I am not certain how the games will be displayed or what the exhibit will also entail once the votes have been cast. I can assume that there will be a lot of artist input while displaying the games, such as interviews with developers and maybe even well-known players.
I am actually excited to check this exhibit out when it opens in 2012 and see what they have done to promote video games as art. I think it will be an excellent exhibit as long as respect is paid to the talent and love that goes into developing games — as well as the respect and love that gamers give the games as well.
So go out and make your voice heard for the most artistic games to be displayed at the Smithsonian! These are games that have defined our generations and our culture, it is about time they are getting the attention and respect they deserve from outside the gaming and geek culture. I hope to see all of you there when the exhibit is scheduled to open on March 16, 2012.