Roger Ebert might not think so, but video games are increasingly as much an artist’s medium as an adolescent pastime. This week, San Francisco nonprofit organization MADE began raising funds for a west coast video game museum, and the Smithsonian opened up voting on who should be included in their video game canon. Though most commercial games involve so many producers, technicians, directors, and artists that its difficult to single out one mastermind behind them, an increasing number of independent games are helmed by just one or two masterminds. The recent iPhone and iPad app explosion has given a canvas for some artists to make some gorgeous, brutal, and astonishing work using video games. Click below for our round-up of 10 artists who use video games as their weapon of choice.
Video game artist Mark Essen makes lo-fi, beautiful and harsh video games, from the two person sword-fighting game Nidhogg (above) to the trippy, slightly ghastly Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist. His aesthetic experiments landed his work in a New Museum exhibit at the tender age of 22, and caught the eye of Adult Swim executives, who had Essen design two games for their website. Recently, Essen’s been nominated for three awards in the Independent Games Festival in San Francisco. His work isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, but fairly fairly addictive, too: we recommend Flywrench, Essen’s clever homage to old-school arcade games.
Comments (34)
You missed Eddo Stern’s sensory deprivation piece called DarkGame – http://www.eddostern.com/darkgame/index.html
STEPH THIRION IS MALE.
You should look up Phil Solomon, as an interesting side note to this. He manipulates and records gameplay in pre-existing games to create avant garde works of cinema.
if ONLY steph was a woman.
I swear, if I see another damn pixel art game I’m gonna punch somebody.
Then proceed to play the game because it is probably a good game.
I’m a little conflicted.
@FISH @TPHD whoops! fixed. thanks for the look-out.
TM Sisters!
[...] its upcoming Art of Games exhibit, it’s works like Bogost’s Atari 2600 meditation game A Slow Year or Daniel Benmergui’s Today I Die that truly capture art in video game [...]
Where is Terry Cavanagh???
that dude is sooo hawt!
What! No Cory Arcangel!!??
Something’s wrong with this list
[...] Flavorwire » 10 Artists Whο Uѕе Video Games аѕ Thеіr Medium Share and [...]
more of a list of some new pixel game pieces produced lately…
Paul B. Davis and Cory Arcangel are missing from this list. They pioneered the use of obsolete video game technology in contemporary art and music.
This is a list of (primarily) art/indie game makers– not fine artist, art gallery game makers, which would be a *totally* different list. Plus, these are all relatively recent games– with actual gameplay (ahem, Cory). Also those complaining about the pixel art need to play the goddamn games, which incidentally, are wildly different.
Lack of Braid is disappointing
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] We’ll be talking about the question of videogames as art later in the semester, but for now I wanted to point your way toward a recent overview of 10 artists who use videogames as their medium. [...]
Ian Bogost is primarily a busy busy busy academic. No Jason Nelson nor Terry Cavanagh = FAIL.
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Use ribbons on the basket – Keep it elegant and classy as you attach ribbons on the side of the [...]
[...] the original post: Flavorwire » 10 Artists Who Use Video Games as Their Medium This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged began-raising, creasingly-as-much, ebert, [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
[...] Flavorwire rounded up 10 artists, from Jason Rohrer to Steph Thirion, who are pushing the boundaries of gaming and art. [From: Flavorwire] [...]
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eskil steenberg
We are all aware that most lists of this kind are partial and only contain a fragment of the full picture. However I wanted to point to the notable omission of a number of female artists that work with games. The ongoing lack of representation in these lists of the range of artists working with game form is increasingly negligent. After a rapid poll online the following was found:
Women artists using game form
1. Anna Anthropy
2. Myfanwy Ashmore
3. Natalie Bookchin (The Intruder)
4. Mary Flanagan
5. Auriea Harvey
6. Heather Kelley
7. Alison Mealey (Unreal Art)
8. Anne-Marie Schleiner (Velvet-Strike)
9. VNS Matrix
Not to mention a first look at female game developers:
Indie gamemakers
1. Brenda Braithwaite
2. Erin Robinson
3. Heather Logas
4. Roberta Williams
5. Sophie Blakemore
Perhaps you will extend your list, or at the very least ensure better representation next time?
Thank you
Emma
Jon Rafman and Tabor Robak just made a new interactive immersive environment called BNPJ.exe for extra extra gallery in Philly http://eexxttrraa.com/
[...] Yet… games seems somehow “artistic.” See: 10 artists who use video gaming [...]
[...] Stone, thinking about: flow, music, storytel… 10 artists who use video gaming as their mediumhttp://flavorwire.com/152604/10-…This answer .Please specify the necessary improvements. Edit Link Text Show answer summary [...]
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