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Critique Games (In Progress)

Fangzhi Zhao Feb. 19, 2017

I. Introduction

Overview

Critique Games explores the alternative means to investigate the structure and constituents of art critique through the lens of games. The project consists of a collection of fictional critique games, which could be implemented and played in reality but also imagined and executed through thought experiments.

Game Studies and Art Critique

The foundation of this project is the Magic Circle Theory. First coined by Dutch historian Johan Huizinga (1872–1945) in Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture, the theory uses a delineated “magic circle” to distinguish the binary in-game world versus the real world, which binds a space-time and sets it apart from normal ordinary life. Inside the magic circle, different rules apply, and it is a space where game players can even experience things not normally sanctioned or allowed in regular space or life. Inside the circle is another artificial, structured and differentiated dimension.

Art critique, on the one hand, surprisingly resembles a space within the magic circle, i.e. a game, where all participants behave more or less differently from their real life and follow distinct rules and conventions. While on the other, these rules and conventions and, moreover, the goals, processes, constituents, beginnings, ends etc. of this "game" are also ambiguous and unclear. To investigate these rules, goals, processes, constituents, etc., the project uses mainly Control Variable Method by altering a single or a set of tightly related elements of a "normal" art critique in each Critique Game and test the validity and viability of the it. If the game remains valid and viable, then the element(s) altered is proved to be a necessary part of the normal art critique.

Critique of Critique

However, as Judith Butler writes in What is Critique? An Essay on Foucault's Virtue:

Foucault seeks to define critique, but finds that only a series of approximations are possible. Critique will be dependent on its objects, but its objects will in turn define the very meaning of critique. Further, the primary task of critique will not be to evaluate whether its objects — social conditions, practices, forms of knowledge, power, and discourse — are good or bad, valued highly or demeaned, but to bring into relief the very framework of evaluation itself.

No definite evaluations or tests could be made of these Critique Games, since the very process of evaluting them would be a form of critique of critique itself and falls into a self-refrencial strange loop without any solid objects. However, the framework of evaluation provided by these games remains valuable even though it produces no outcome, as it point to somewhere outside this loop.

II. Critique Games

Time

  • Time Capsule: The artist presents/introduces their work to the critique panel. The critique panel critique the work 1 month later.

  • Time Capsule (Advanced): The artist presents/introduces their work to the critique panel. The critique panel critique the work 1 year later.

  • Time Capsule (Ultimate): The artist presents/introduces their work to the critique panel. The critique panel critique the work 10 years later.

  • A Quickie Is Also Good: The critique ends in 5 minutes.

  • Odyssey: The critique spans a whole week. The artist and the critique panel must stay together all the time.

Work

  • Sorry, I'm Lazy: The artist under critique mustn’t bring any work, has to be totally unprepared and hang in there for a full critique.

  • Self-Referential: The artist present the critique which is happening right now as their work under critique.

Space

  • You Can't See Nothing: The critique is held in a total light proof, dark, empty space.

  • We Are Not Here: The critique is held via FaceTime.

  • Twitt-it: The critique is held on Twitter.

Rules

  • Telephone: One panelist whispers a message to the ear of the next panelist through a line of panelists until the last panelists announces the message to the artist.

Language

  • Q & A: The artist under critique can only ask questions. No any kinds of statements. The critique panel can only answer the questions.

  • Q & A (Variation): The critique panel can only ask questions. No any kinds of statements. The artist can only answer the questions.

  • Write It Down: The artist and the critique panel can only communicate in written form, no talking.

Components

  • Inversion: The artist brings work then switch roles with a member of the critique panel. That panelist will be the new artist under critique. And the artist will be a new panelist.

  • One On One Might Be Fun: One artist, one panelist.

  • Group Battle: Multiple artists together introducing their work as a collection. The critique panel must critique the artist group as a whole.

  • Hang In There For An Hour (Variation): No artist under critique. The critique panel have to stay there for a full hour long critique session.

  • Hang In There For An Hour (Variation): No artist under critique. No critique panel. Hang in there for a full hour long critique session.

Goals

  • Noise Canceling: The artist wears sound proof ear pods during the whole critique.

Miscellaneous

  • Whatever, Let's Fuck It Up: The artist and the critique panel get 5 shots of vodka then start the critique.

III. References

  1. Conway, Steven. A Circular Wall? Reformulating the Fourth Wall for Video Games. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132475/a_circular_wall_reformulating_the_.php?print=1. Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.

  2. Elkins, James. Art Critiques: A Guide. Washington, DC, New Academia Publishing, 3 Jan. 2012.

  3. “Magic Circle (virtual Worlds).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Feb. 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Circle_(virtual_worlds). Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.

  4. Tekinbaş, Katie Salen,Zimmerman, Eric,Rules Of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, Massachusetts : MIT Press, 2003. Print.

  5. Butler, Judith, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. "What is critique?." concern 30.2 (2001): 225-248.

  6. Groys, Boris. "Introduction-Global Conceptualism Revisited. e-flux. 29." (2011).