What is art? There are people who have devoted their lives to that question. It is a word that struggles to be defined, in fact it has been argued whether or not art can even be defined. Today I throw my bet in the pot with my own definition of art; I believe that art is the expression of creativity that can lead to an emotional response by an audience. It is the purpose of this article series to make the argument that Final Fantasy meets the criteria I’ve laid down for art, along with some more formal definitions! (For further discussion on the definition of art see stanford.edu)
The entrance to the Smithosian's video game exhibit
which they featured in 2012!
Whether or not any video game can be considered art has been a topic of controversy in the past. Yes, I am looking at you Robert Ebert! The artistry of video games may have taken its largest step in 2012 with the Smithsonian’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibition. However the topic is still a hotspot and sometimes criticism of video games ability to have an artistic nature can come from unexpected places. Game developers Hideo Kojima and Brian Moriarty have been quoted in opposition of video games being a medium for artistic expression, the latter actually giving an entire lecture An Apology For Roger Ebert. Some of the arguments used by these people are the limitations that the rules of a game can impart on someone interacting with the piece or the player’s ability to affect the outcome.
The late Mr. Ebert, the man behind one of the
largest debates on art in video games!
So if there is such opposition against the medium of video games as a means of expression from within why do I feel that there is a cause for my support? It is the recollection of emotion I feel when listening to a soundtrack from a game I love or attempting to explain why I love a section of storytelling from a game that gives me a call to write. RPGs do a wonderful job of intertwining many different mediums art into a single context often as well as film. Some of the most famous scenes in the Final Fantasy series are not monochromatic moments, but beautiful blends of visuals, music, and storytelling, all of which are indisputably mediums of art. It is not as a gamer, but as an appreciative spectator of moments in games that have sent chills through my body that I cannot let games be dismissed from the realm of art. Few mediums can give me the connection to a plot, character, or scene like a 50 hour video game "epic" can.
Artwork in video game is a question of context. It is no surprise that traditional experts in art do not accept video games as art, because it opens a giant can of worms in terms of context. But what is context in art? Context is the conditions in which art is created and in which it is viewed. A wonderful example of this is a quote by Wesly Vander Lugt:
Recognizing the context of art—both of its origin and reception—also requires us to realize the multivalent and open-ended character of art interpretation. For example, the “meaning” of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will vary depending on whether we are referring to its première in 1824, when Wilhelm Furtwängler conducted it in Berlin in 1942, or when Leonard Bernstein conducted it before the newly opened Berlin Wall in 1989.
No longer does one have to go to a location like
Boston Symphony Hall to enjoy classical music!
I'll be referring back to that article, as I believe it does wonders in clarifying how we should be viewing art mediums. Video games existing as art continues the complexity that is being added to the artistic world by freedom of information, as well as expansions in technology which allow us to create entirely new mediums. In the past great works of song had to be listened to in an amphitheater, now they can be enjoyed anywhere by the press of a button on your computer, iPhone, or iPod. The beauty of The Last Judgement had to be seen at The Sistine Chapel, now it can be seen with a simple Google or Wikipedia query. I believe that this new context expansion should be accepted. It takes art from a luxury afforded by the privileged and turns it something of abundance that can be appreciated by the common man.
I'll be analyzing key components of Final Fantasy and art forms over the next few entries to this series, namely the three mediums of art mentioned previously. This series will discuss how video games merely change the context of the art in the game. I'll take a look at some of the most memorable visuals and songs throughout the series. The series will explore Final Fantasy storylines as pieces of literature. Contrasts of emotion invoked by those listening to a Final Fantasy OST for the first time and those that have context of listening to it in game will be shown. Then in addition to analysis of each of these independent mediums we will explore how gameplay provides an experience unique that alters them to the gaming medium of art.
That wraps up the introduction to this series. In part two I will be starting my analysis of visual art in the Final Fantasy series.
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