Smithsonian's "The Art of Video Games" Exhibit

                The Smithsonian American Art Museum began an exhibition on March 16 titled “The Art of Video Games.” The exhibit, which is located on the third floor of the museum, features art from 80 games. Put together by curator Chris Melissinos, the former chief gamer for Sun Microsystems, the Smithsonian said the exhibit is “one of the first exhibitions 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.”

                Anyone who visits the exhibit is presented with an artistic walk through the evolution of art in video games. Divided into five eras of game design, the exhibit starts with the early pioneers of the gaming effort and concludes with art from contemporary designers. Art from a broad variety of genres and time periods are included, with successful titles like Mass Effect 2 and Diablo 2 being presented alongside lesser known titles like Panzer Dragoon:Zwei and StarStrike.

                Gamers are glad to see art in video games getting recognized.

                “It’s about freaking time,” said Trevor Ballard, a biochemistry student at Utah State University and avid gamer. “What took so long?”

                The Smithsonian said that while “all video games include classic components of art—striking visuals, a powerful narrative, and a strong point of view,” it has only been the recent work of contemporary games that made them decide “that this is the right moment to look at this popular global phenomenon.”

                Ballard has long admired the artwork he has seen in the games he has played. He said he can recall moments in Warhammer Online:Age of Reckoning, or Everquest, when he just stopped to look at the scenery.

                “That must have happened to me like 700 times in Skyrim,” said Jonathan Alan, a mechanical engineering major at USU.

                Alan said he would go see the exhibit in D.C. if he had the opportunity. Alan has always appreciated the art in the games he has played, and considers the games Braid and Bastion to be among the most artistic he has encountered.

The “Art of Video Games” exhibit will begin a tour of the United States in 2013 that will last until 2016.