Video Games! Art! Finally!

Last month the Museum of Modern Art announced they would be including a permanent collection of video games into their museum in March. 

PacMan, Tetris, The Sims, are just a few of the titles that will join famous Picassos, Pollocks and Warhols on the walls of MoMA.

This video by PBS Idea Channel discusses their acquisition and talks about his picks for the 5 most artful video games.

 That begs the question, are video games art? If not, why not? If so, why so? If you had to list what you think are the Top 5 Most Artful Video Games, what would you include on that list?

Extra Credit Questions

Over the Thanksgiving break you can answer any of the following questions for extra credit!

In complete sentences.....

1. In your own words, what are some of the meanings interpreted from the Free Stamp?

2. Who donated the Free Stamp and why did they donate it?

3. How big is it and what is it made from?

4. Why was it originally supposed to sit upright instead of on it's side?

Extra Credit - Critique #1

Image: "The Son of Man"

Artist: Rene Magritte

Year: 1964

Movement: Surrealism

1. Identify 2. Describe 3. Analyze/Interpret
Hint: Shape, Color, Value, Contrast

For extra credit: In 1 or 2 sentences, identify, describe and analyze the work of Magritte using some of the words listed.

An Introduction to Salvador Dali

The seventh grade art classes are going to be exploring the world of Surrealism next. 

In preparation we did a little value study where students individually worked on what seemed like an abstract black and white drawing. Once we hung them up, though, we realized it made something totally unexpected... Salvador Dali!

Dali found inspiration in his dreams and created works of art that played with the viewers' mind. He was very eccentric and a little bit crazy! In fact, he carried around a live ocelot {a wild cat}and he believed that he could receive messages from aliens through his moustache like an antenna!

His most recognized work of art is The Persistence of Memory painted in 1931.

Today's Extra Credit Question of the Week was even about Dali and his moustache.
What special powers did Dali's moustache have?