Paola Antonelli: Why I brought Pac-Man to MoMA

TL;DR

In this talk, Paola Antonelli discusses the inclusion of video games in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the importance of design in our lives.

Transcript

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast I'm almost like a crazy evangelical. I've always known that the age of design is upon us, almost like a rapture. If the day is sunny, I think, "Oh, the gods have had a good design day." Or, I go to a show and I see a beautiful piece by an artist, particularly beautiful, I say he's so good because he cle... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤩 Design is the highest form of creative expression and extends beyond just cute furniture and posters.
• 🤖 Interaction design is a significant aspect of the age of design and is being championed at the Museum of Modern Art.
• 🎮 Video games are a form of interaction design and have sparked a debate about their status as art.
• 👾 MoMA believes that video games belong in their collection and have acquired several games, considering aesthetics, space, time, and behavior.
• 💻 Other examples of interaction design include digital fonts and everyday objects like the MetroCard vending machine.
• 🌎 The MoMA collection aims to preserve and showcase artifacts that represent the minestrone of digital and physical experiences.
• 🏢 MoMA is open to acquiring artifacts that are in the public domain, like the "@" sign, and forming arrangements to keep objects like the Boeing 747 flying.
• 🪑 The expansion of design and its importance in everyday life is being embraced by audiences, even as some colleagues may be resistant to change.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does the speaker believe is the highest form of creative expression?

The speaker believes that design is the highest form of creative expression.

Q: What does the speaker want people to understand about design?

The speaker wants people to understand that design is much more than cute chairs and encompasses everything around us in our lives.

Q: What examples of interaction design has the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) acquired?

MoMA has acquired works of interaction design such as Martin Wattenberg's machine playing chess with itself, Lisa Strausfeld and her partners' Sugar interface for One Laptop Per Child, Toshio Iwai's Tenori-On musical instruments, Philip Worthington's Shadow Monsters, John Maeda's Reactive Books, and Jonathan Harris and Sep Kamvar's I Want You To Want Me.

Q: What controversy has arisen from the inclusion of video games in the MoMA collection?

Some critics believe that video games do not qualify as art and should not be exhibited alongside traditional art at MoMA.

Q: What criteria did MoMA use to select video games for its collection?

MoMA used criteria such as aesthetics, space, time, and behavior in the selection of video games for its collection.

Q: How did MoMA display the video games in its collection?

MoMA displayed the video games without any paraphernalia or nostalgia, and instead focused on the screens and a small shelf with the controllers.

Q: What acquisitions does the speaker hope to make in the future?

The speaker hopes to acquire a Boeing 747 that will continue flying and the "@" sign, which is a manifestation of something important to our identity but cannot be owned by anyone.

Q: How does the speaker feel about the expansion of design and its importance in our lives?

The speaker is glad that design is becoming more recognized and understood by a broader audience and believes that design is central to our culture and lives.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Design is the highest form of creative expression and extends beyond just furniture and posters.

• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is embracing interaction design and incorporating it into its collection.

• The debate over whether video games belong in an art museum like MoMA highlights the importance of recognizing the impact and influence of interaction design.