Gallery at Studio 5

a physical game of perspective, inspired by the J.G. Ballard story “Studio 5, The Stars”

For 2-6 players, in fewer than 30 minutes

You are artists in residence, staying at the famous Vermillion Sands resort and arts colony. It is time for the annual gallery show of 2123, and you are working as curators of the show. What pieces will best show off the virtuosity of the residents? Curate the show for maximum glory of the form to earn the respect of your peers, and diverge from the norm to appease the Muses. 

In 2123, art is created by computer through an Auto-Realised-Transcription process initiated by manual settings. Curation now often consists of agreeing on ideal expressions, however, there is another wrinkle: the muses, longing to rekindle the soul in arts, also reward the most divergent and wise of the artists with a renewed spirit for creation. 

Summary of the game

The gallery opens in 3 days (rounds of play). Each day your group will be sent a packet of art from which your group will select pieces for the show by vote.

Mutual agreement on which pieces should be selected provides “respect,” but secretly - if you are moved by the muses and can predict the majority while dissenting with your vote, you will earn “spirit” from the muses. 

When the gallery opens, any artists with less spirit than respect lose. Of the remaining artists, the one with the most respect wins.