With the graphics and special effects of games increasing in both complexity and realism, it is sometimes easy to overlook all the hard work that goes into making games look as impressive as they do these days. In academic circles, the notion of the game as 'art' can be seen as a segment of comparative media studies, in which 'texts', (that is to say, books, films, bodies of artwork, or photography) are worthy of scholarship and analysis as to what we can learn from them about the human condition or as commentary on contemporary issues.

With great video games, there tends to come great 'art', in the sense of 'art' being pictures on a wall or on a screen depicting something. That is what the Into the Pixel exhibition has been about for the past few years, and this year will exhibit work from upcoming or recently released games at this year's E3 expo.

When certain titles have that special something about them which allows them to transcend the general mediocrity of 'games' as an industry. I see it as something special. Being worthy of a proverbial 'pedestal' of sorts which 'art' in the days of the renaissance and pre-impressionism was elevated to and celebrated, and the artist himself revered.

Though a relatively quiet affair, the Into the Pixel exhibitions and collections of work are powerfully representative of an idea, character, or are reflective of contemporary and classical art practice in illustration and painting.


The Witcher, Half-Life 2, Dawn of War
Games which have featured in prior Into the Pixel exhibitions include The Witcher, Half-Life 2, Dawn of War, Lair, Assassin's Creed and God of War.

Whilst the 'academic' and 'scholarly' side of games goes into post-humanism, cyber-culture and other intellectual 'buzzwords' which don't interest many people, it is personally a fascinating field of study.

In real-life, as a student of art history, I am often met with cynicism from tutors and fellow students alike when trying to put forth the argument that video games can be considered 'art'. The cynical remarks and responses I get are often related to the fact that the 'games' are merely 'entertainment' for children and hold no ground or substance worthy of scholarship.

Yet, I tend to be amused that the same very same people marvel at contemporary 'art' which is filled with so little substance as it is vermin - old fridges arranged in a gallery as though they are ancient ruins of a lost civilisation.


Lair, Assasin's Creed, God of War
It is funny that the old adage of "a picture being worth a thousand words" seems to not apply in these academic circles, as the picture (according to more 'recent' art journals and art criticism, a direct result of the increased travel and dissemination of information which was introduced by flight, television and other modern technologies in the 1960's and 1970's) is not the thing to be 'read' as a 'text' but the theory behind it instead given the importance.

On the other hand, we do have of course those who see that 'art' is nothing but a pretty picture and not a philosophical issue deeply ingrained within human culture. In that sense, video games do have a lot of 'pretty pictures' and it is not often that they are celebrated other than by a few moments of disillusioned awe at the newest rendering technique or a techno-fetishistic amazement and what an extra 20,000 or so polygons can do to improve a 3D model.

Back to the topic at hand, if you're interested about the Into the Pixel exhibition and what they've done, and displayed in the past, you can check out the website - there is some pretty amazing imagery there.