he old school video game craze has been around for a while, and events like the Midwest Classic and Classic Gaming Expo help keep the history alive. And no, we’re not talking about N64 and Saturn as old school – anything newer than the Nintendo Entertainment System doesn’t count. Last year we got the opportunity to give you the inside scoop about i am 8-bit, a unique art exhibit that showcased artists’ visions of what they experience with classic gaming, and this year we get to not only show you a sneak peek of this year’s exhibit, but talk about the new coffee table book as well.
Girls of Nintendo -- Samus
Last years show was a huge success for curators Katie Cromwell and Jon Gibson. Over 1,400 people visited the exhibit on opening night, over 5,000 people total checked out the exhibit in its month long run. The initial show had 130 pieces from about 100 artists. Pieces shown were all for sale, and the exhibit sold approximately 70% pieces of the art. If you’re worried that you wouldn’t be able to afford these works, don’t worry. Prices stayed rather reasonable – in art terms, mind you. Some of the smaller pieces could go for as little as $50, while medium priced items, like the Katie Rice’s “Girls Of Nintendo Series” prints went for $200. The big seller however was the “Pac-Man In Hospice” painting by Greg Simkins which fetched $3,000. It is unknown however if the buyer realized he could have bought a Pac-Man machine (or a few of them) for that price tag.
Pac-Man In Hospice
“It’s an entry point for people who would never set foot in an art gallery, or be caught dead in a room with a bunch of hipsters sipping vodka and smoking Virginia Slims. Now they can replace that $20 Spider-Man poster that’s been clawed at by their cat with a piece of original art.”
However, the show was more than just about art. One of the most popular elements of the show was an 8 foot working NES controller which played the original Super Mario Bros. on a 50 inch plasma screen. Playing the game was a different story all together. You needed two people to work the controller in tandem, one manned the d-pad, and the other person controlled the A and B buttons.
“Working together to play Super Mario Bros. may sound very simple but it takes a lot of cooperation,” noted Gibson.
The original show was so successful, in fact, that it has spun off a nifty paperback coffee table book titled i am 8-bit: Art Inspired By Classic Videogames Of The 80’s. While the book won’t be released for sale until April, we here at Game Informer have already perused one of the early versions of the book. With a forward written by Spin Magazine’s senior writer Chuck Klosterman, and the rest of the book penned by Curator Jon Gibson, it gives a heartwarming look at what inspired each of the artists to create their bitty art. Spanning over 150 pages, the book will contain 100 different selections of art from the show, with a number of commentaries by the artists.
Due to the success of the first exhibit, Gibson has been in preparation for the follow up – i am 8-bit 2.006 - to take place between April 18th – May 19th. The show will return to its original venue at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight (7020 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA).
“There was 10 months of planning before the exhibit last year, and about the same for this year. Right after the exhibit ended last year, and we saw how well stuff sold, and how much press it got, how much people cared, and how people got as excited about it as we were originally, we started planning it right off the bat.
This time around, the show will encompass over 120 artists with about 150 works of original art. The following Saturday, April 22, the exhibit will play host to the official book release party. Here, show goers can pick up the book, and get it autographed by artists and authors. Plus Gibson noted there will be a surprise DJ, the band 8-bit Weapon will play, and there will be a Capcom themed bar (who will sponsor the exhibit) with Capcom inspired cocktails.
“This year there will be a few surprises, kind of like the NES controller, that I’m not going to divulge. But if you show up you’re going to be surprised. If all comes together it’s going to destroy the 8 foot NES controller,” joked Gibson.
Curators have been busy scouring websites and viewing submitted samples by artists eager to have their works of art on display. Artists interested in submitting pieces for this show should submit their entries to http://www.iam8bit.net. But much of the art was discovered just by visiting websites.
“MySpace has proven to be very useful to us. One cool piece used as the profile’s main picture has found us works.” Said Gibson.
But most importantly i am 8-bit 2.006 will showcase all new art. We got the exclusive first look at some of the pieces visitors will be able to see at the show.
Tim Biskup
Mega Man
Mixed Media
8 x 11 inches
Inspired by Mega Man Series
“Mega Man X killed me. It was the last videogame that I made it all the way through. It took weeks and I was a total mess the whole time. I got nothing else done. As soon as I killed the last bad guy and saw the credits roll, I ripped the game out of the Nintendo console, threw it on the floor, stomped on it, and kicked it into the fireplace. As I watched it burn and smelled the plastic, I vowed to never again let a videogame steal my precious time. Aside from a sordid foray into Donkey Kong Country and a little extreme time-wasting on a snowboard game while I was getting paid for my time at an animation studio, I have avoided the allure of videogames. Thanks Mega Man.”
Dave Crosland
Zelda
Acrylic, marker, watercolor, and colored pencil on paper
15 x 6 inches
Inspired by The Legend of Zelda
“I think my piece is all about my obsessions. Recently, I'm obsessed with the concept of female characters in entertainment that are ‘damsels in distress,’ yet still have this strong quality that makes them powerful characters. From Olive Oil to Princess Leia, I'm very interested in female pop culture icons and the many things they stand for. Beyond that, I'm obsessed with songs that are testaments to the unattainable girl. Particularly, a band named Subtle has a song on their last album called "She”. It's all very soft, mysterious, and menacing, but builds to this great, hard-hitting crescendo. While the lyrics are this ethereal stream of consciousness, they manage to convey this sense of longing and lusting for the ultimate woman. This girl is so beautiful and mysterious. And at the same time, she's unbelievably powerful. She doesn't need you, and she knows it. And part of her revels in that.
“I applied that idea to a Zelda painting because that character really intrigued me when I was a kid. I remember thinking, ‘Why's the game called The Legend of Zelda? I mean, the guy is Link. He's trying to get the Tri-Force. What's up with this Zelda chick?’ But looking at it from an artsy-fartsy-emo standpoint, I think Zelda is just one of many characters that sums up the classical idea of an ultimate woman. She's this princess, bordered on all sides by peril and destiny. And, of course, there's this poor sap, Link, who's willing to face anything to serve and protect her. Even certain death. You gotta love the simplicity in that kind of storytelling. That's the kind of shit that rocked my imagination when I was a child. And that's at the root of why I ended up becoming an artist… instead of a banker.”
Charles Guan
Otto
Acrylic, pen, marker, and correction tape on illustration board
10 x 14.75 inches
Inspired by Elevator Action
“My parents used to take me to the mall where they shopped, and would leave me at the so-called mall babysitter, ‘The Arcade’. There I discovered Elevator Action. There was nothing like crunching enemy spies with an elevator while humming to the ever so catchy melody. After spending all my money, I understood the word ‘addiction’ at the prime age of six. At that point, the world of videogames had entered my life. My piece is in honor of Agent 17 — Codename: Otto — the main man with the gun and the deadly jump kicks… who later inspired the name I chose for my dog.”
Tony Mora
Back To The Fleischer
Acrylic on wood
12.5 x 10.5 inches
Inspired by Super Mario Bros. Series (NES), Super Mario World (SNES)
“I've loved videogames and cartoons my entire life… and it seems that Mario has been there for a large chunk of it. Some of my fondest memories were of Super Mario Bros on the NES. I must have played that for almost two years straight. My family would actually watch me play and flip it over and over and over. Anyways, I decided to combine two of my most favorite things besides BBQ and fries — Mario and the Fleischer cartoons of yesteryear. Keep on keepin' on, Mario!”
Dan Santat
All Hail King Hippo
Acrylic on board
11 x 14 inches
Inspired by Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out (NES)
“When I grew up, Punch-Out was the most fun I ever had at an arcade. Even though I thoroughly sucked at it, there was always something rewarding about being able to kick the crap out of Glass Joe. I was originally going to paint Bald Bull, but after consulting with many of my friends, it was pointed out to me that King Hippo was the real icon of the game. After much heated debate, they won out. I always liked watching boxers on their own corner in-between rounds — resting, trying to regain their composure — and I figured someone like King Hippo would look rather regal in such a position, like the stool was his throne. And when coming up with an idea for a piece for the show I was watching Million Dollar Baby… and that pretty much sealed it right there.”
Gabe Swarr
Mario Powerups
Acrylic on board
21.5 x 5.5 Inches
Inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)
“Who knew that Mario could turn into a Raccoon and a statue, but not a Bear or a Hammer Brother? I guess he just had to wear a suit for those! Oh Mario, you puzzle us all to this day… will these questions ever be truly answered?!”
For more information about i am 8-bit visit http://www.iam8bit.net.