Dictionary.com offers some definitions for the word Grotesque:
1. Odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd; Bizare
2. Fantastic in the shaping and combination of forms, as in decorative work combining incongruous human and animal figures with scrolls, foliage, etc.
In any sort of media there exists Grotesque art that moves to make us uncomfortable and attempts to push us to think about the societal norms and taboos we have adopted as our nature. Some of my favorite movies, tv shows, and especially musical theater (yeah I love it, whatever) I would definitely classify as Grotesque. Sin City and Pulp Fiction, Dexter, Sweeny Todd, all some of my favorite artistic works on a screen or a stage that are bizarre distortions of every day existence.
Can a potential school shooting game be considered as Grotesque art?
It's a really tough position to consider. As much as I would never ever download a mod like this it does beg the question about it's merits. As much as I abhor the attitude of the studio and the direction of the game, did I not just post last week about wanting video games to take on tougher and more mature subject matter above the war shooter? This is certainly a mature and difficult subject.
When I first read the interview last night I was pretty horrified that anyone could take the attitude that the developer has adopted. That any interactive media we consume should not provoke, but rather allow our reflexes to take over our minds. I think that attitude with anything is pretty sick. The creator of this mod's objective clearly isn't to create art in the noblest sense. He isn't out to make a point out of any irony, or send a clear message. He is out for laughs and specifically mindless fun. Does this disqualify him as an artist or his work as art?
I think it is his attitude that I find most offensive. To be honest I would really enjoy a thoughtful, mature artist to tackle the idea of a school shooter game. If someone wanted to communicate a message of desperation and isolation so severe that it would cause the protagonist (antagonist) to lash out violently, or to create a social commentary of some sort I would probably support that. I really am a fan of truly Grotesque that serves to push us out of our comfort zones and challenge us. I really wish this was along those lines, but I definitely believe any art is a reflection of the artist's soul and artistic vision (not to be too cheesy, crunchy) and there is clearly no vision behind this work aside from for shits and giggles by the developers own admission. That, I would argue, is the difference between Grotesque and just plain gross.
In any sort of media there exists Grotesque art that moves to make us uncomfortable and attempts to push us to think about the societal norms and taboos we have adopted as our nature. Some of my favorite movies, tv shows, and especially musical theater (yeah I love it, whatever) I would definitely classify as Grotesque. Sin City and Pulp Fiction, Dexter, Sweeny Todd, all some of my favorite artistic works on a screen or a stage that are bizarre distortions of every day existence.
Can a potential school shooting game be considered as Grotesque art?
It's a really tough position to consider. As much as I would never ever download a mod like this it does beg the question about it's merits. As much as I abhor the attitude of the studio and the direction of the game, did I not just post last week about wanting video games to take on tougher and more mature subject matter above the war shooter? This is certainly a mature and difficult subject.
When I first read the interview last night I was pretty horrified that anyone could take the attitude that the developer has adopted. That any interactive media we consume should not provoke, but rather allow our reflexes to take over our minds. I think that attitude with anything is pretty sick. The creator of this mod's objective clearly isn't to create art in the noblest sense. He isn't out to make a point out of any irony, or send a clear message. He is out for laughs and specifically mindless fun. Does this disqualify him as an artist or his work as art?
I think it is his attitude that I find most offensive. To be honest I would really enjoy a thoughtful, mature artist to tackle the idea of a school shooter game. If someone wanted to communicate a message of desperation and isolation so severe that it would cause the protagonist (antagonist) to lash out violently, or to create a social commentary of some sort I would probably support that. I really am a fan of truly Grotesque that serves to push us out of our comfort zones and challenge us. I really wish this was along those lines, but I definitely believe any art is a reflection of the artist's soul and artistic vision (not to be too cheesy, crunchy) and there is clearly no vision behind this work aside from for shits and giggles by the developers own admission. That, I would argue, is the difference between Grotesque and just plain gross.
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