The Art of Video Games Exhibit Coming to Phoenix Art Museum

The Magnavox Odyssey. The Atari 2600. ColecoVision, Commodore, Sega, and Nintendo. For many of us, these were the machines of our childhood. But are video games more than just mindless entertainment? Can they be considered art? One man thinks so.

His name is Chris Melissinos, and he is the curator of the exhibit "The Art of Video Games."

This exhibit was organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and is on a 10-city nationwide tour through the year 2016. This summer, the exhibit will be on display at the Phoenix Art Museum.

From Space Invaders and Pong to modern hits like BioShock, The Art of Video Games explores the impact that video games have had on our culture over the last 40 years. Melissinos argues that these games are more than just activities for kids, they are a platform for creative expression. Video games make use of visual effects, the latest technologies, and loads of imagination to tell stories that captivate us and become part of our social fabric.

The traveling exhibit includes over 80 images representing five eras of video game development. Accompanying the exhibition is a 215 page hardcover book that chronicles each of the featured games in depth. The book will be available for sale at each location as well as online for $40.

The Art of Video Games National Tour Dates:

• Boca Raton Museum of Art in Boca Raton, Florida (October 24, 2012–January 13, 2013)
• EMP Museum in Seattle, Washington (February 16, 2013–May 13, 2013)
• Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona (June 16, 2013—September 29, 2013)
• Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York (October 25, 2013–January 19, 2014)
• Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, New York (February 15, 2014–May 18, 2014)
• Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio (June 19, 2014–September 28, 2014)
• Flint Institute of Arts in Flint, Michigan (October 25, 2014–January 18, 2015)
• Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia (February 13, 2015–May 10, 2015)
• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, Tennessee (June 6, 2015–September 13, 2015)
• The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University in Miami, Florida (October 9, 2015–January 25, 2016)

I think this is a very cool idea for an art exhibit. I'm looking forward to attending "The Art of Video Games" when it opens this summer at the Phoenix Art Museum. If someone you know is into video games, please pass the word on to them!