An artisan pocket game
This
is an artwork in the form of a simple pocket game and acts as a
metaphor of the process of ascent and descent of an active volcano.
Playing the game echoes an experience of how one feels in the moment
when one discovers that one is completely lost and the way back is an
unknown factor. Natures remarkable process of how volcanic deposits
develop into some of the richest of soils and how as one descends change
from barren rock to abundant green growth takes place is echoed in a
humble way through the playing of the game. The goal of the game is to
“climb” a volcano by taking turns rolling the dice and moving up and
down the "volcanic grid". The first player who reaches the top of the
“volcano” and climbs back down safely wins the game. The background
image on the game board is the image of an exploding espresso maker,
which inspired the artists to make the game, and which reminds him of a
13 hour descent from Mount Etna how good coffee can taste.
an ‘old fashion’ board game with life
The
game resulted from a workshop at the RAINBOW CENTRE in Singapore, a
non-profit organisation for children with special needs. It was
developed to break down ridgity in children affected with autism. The
game works against the inability to accept change or variety in that it
nurtures in a playful way the creation of of objects, which although are
made out of very similar elements, are very different in their final
appearance. Various versions of the games, with and without rules,
makes it adaptable for use within a diverse range of children who are
struggling with autism. The game with all rules applied is beneficial
for all who are interested in exercise their memory and, perhaps, by
doing so retain it. The final version of the game is in the form of
an ‘old fashion’ board game that is played with a die to create animal
or flower figures constructed out of the hexagonal shaped pieces. The
person who constructs his or her pattern first wins. The Game Board
contains comprehensive instructions for setting up and playing the game.
The Figures along the edge of the Game Board make up collection of 16
figures, which players choose from and constructed from the hexagonal
pieces during the course of the game At the center of the board is the
Rainbow Earth Image. It is a hexagonal image of the earth and is made up
of a total of 121 hexagonal pieces in the colors of the rainbow. Using
a die and a bit of strategy, players compete to build animal and flower
figures out of the colorful hexagonal shaped pieces.