newstalk

What I’ve been trying to say all along.

I ran across an excellent essay by graphic novel writer/artist Dylan Horrocks, via Slashdot. Horrocks tackles the question, “What is art?”, emphasizing the point that the Establishment definition of “serious” art is eternally lagging behind the real life-flow of culture which is producing next-century’s Establishment. He takes a number of examples, from comics and RPGs and video games, and even spends some quality time with Tolkien’s concepts of the “sub-creation” and “secondary world”. In so doing, he ends up describing a perspective on art and literature which fits exactly with the philosophy I’ve been unconsciously developing over the last decade or so. By Emerson’s definition, this essay qualifies as a work of genius in my book. It’s even well-researched and intellectually engaging, yet accessible all at the same time. You should read it now.

If I must tempt you more, here are some excerpts:

On art as something fun to do:

bq. This idea, of art as playground, allows us to see viewers, readers and users of art as active, interactive participants, rather than passive recipients of the artist’s message. It also recognises the extent to which each individual “player” brings their own contribution, modifying the “ludic ambience” of the work and changing how it can be used (not only for themselves, but also for anyone who plays alongside them). This is not to say the artist has no influence on how his or her artwork will be experienced, any more than McCloud’s gardener has no control over his garden. If you put up swings, people will come and swing on them. But equally, some will use them as imaginary rocket ships, others will twist the chains to see them spin and some adventurous souls might even shinny up to the top of the poles, using them as a climbing frame and not a swing at all.

On why, 150 years ago the novel, and 50 years ago the comic, and today the video game, have all been sneered at by Establishment art and society-at-large:

bq. It’s the same old story. New artforms bring new aesthetic paradigms. Those who fail to recognise this tend to miss the point of the work altogether, dismissing it as frivolous, bad or even dangerous. Which is why, when the generation of writers and artists who’ve grown up immersed in virtual playgrounds begin using the medium of the video game itself to “boil in the intensity” of their experiences, many in the so-called art and literary worlds won’t even notice.

Yeah. I think that’s what I want to do, and what I’ve been trying to say all along.

Possibly related:

None Found

Share this: