Anya Ellis, Chess Expert
Games & Play as Art
The tour will be focused on artworks and historical objects which showcase play — interaction, disposition, and actions within a context. Each tour will have a component of play from learning the rules of mancala and its variant forms OR painting/designing a personal game board. But don’t think play as an experience is only positive, as Aaron Trammell wrote in his book “Repairing Play,” games often hurt and they often emulate systemic issues. If you were to go on a tour with me, you will see the amazing depth of play which is often ignored history within traditional art museum presentations.
Museums + DMV + West Virginia
- Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art: Tephra has continuously shown exhibitions within the Reston Town Square Park that are not only playful in design, but are literally in an area where children play. The current “Bouyant Force” piece by Sue Wrbican or the past exhibit of “Radiant Pearl” by Claire Helen Ashley could easily be used as a center piece for a discussions on play as an experience and inspiration for artworks.
- Glenstone: There are so many great artists on display at the Glenstone. At the moment, James Castle’s “Untitled (rooster construction)” and Bill Traylor’s “Brown House with Multiple Figures and Birds” spur on ideas surrounding paper and simple designs as the basics to early childhood play. Paper Mache and simple comics reminiscent on the teaching of Lynda Barry’s “Making Comics”.
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture: Let’s be obvious. Sports and theater are activities of play but also occupations that those of the African diaspora continuously fight and advocate to be represented in the United States. The exhibits “Taking the Stage” and “Sports” are great examples of the duality of plays ability to reinforce structures of oppression.
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History: Did you play with dolls and household objects as a kid? Well, the exhibits “Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Object Project” and “The Dolls’ House” showcase how children played in the past. Afterwards, we may take a bike ride around the national mall or play with modern dollhouses.
- Maryland Art Place: MAP has some of the best art exhibitions in Baltimore. They are innovative, dynamic, and inclusive. Last year’s exhibit “TOONS: Cartoons and Comics” could easily have devolved into discussions on playfulness as a disposition which comic/cartoon characters oftentimes represent or just the activity of creation in play.