written by art historian & curator Mihaela Manolche
Humanity has used creativity for millennia as an outlet to express emotions and provoke thought. Traditional art forms like painting, sculpture, music, and literature have been people’s most significant cultural outcomes. However, as society evolves, so does the concept of art. What if the Sistine Chapel ceiling could change its story as you walked beneath it? What if a Beethoven symphony responded to your emotions, or a Hemingway novel reshaped itself based on your decisions? These are no longer hypothetical questions; they are the living reality of video games. As the most interactive medium ever created, video games transform how we play and redefine how we experience art.Video games have introduced a new frontier — interactive digital experiences that blur the lines between art and entertainment. However, there is a question in academic circles about whether video games are art or just pure gaming. This debate is rooted in perceptions of triviality and depth within the medium. So are video games merely escapist entertainment, or are they the 21st century’s most innovative form of art — blending storytelling, visuals, music, and interactivity in ways no other medium can?
