Exquisite Corpse: The Exhibit. The Game. The Rules. The Artists.

By inside + out | September 1, 2023

SAVE THE DATE!

A fascinating art exhibit, titled Exquisite Corpse, is coming to Kingston, NY at the Everett and Treadwell building. The show opens September 29 and runs through October 29. Check out the details below. Over the next few weeks Inside+Out Upstate NY will present a series of interviews with each of the Artists participating in this intriguing art exhibition. Let’s get the facts…

THE EXHIBITION

Exquisite Corpse is a group collaboration by queer artists who reside in the Hudson Valley and NYC. The exhibit follows the journey of seven artists/collaborators with one rooted seed – queer culture: past, present, and future. In this exhibit, the artist will present their journey as members of the queer community and the visual representation of a collaborative journey through the game Exquisite Corpse.

THE GAME

Are you familiar with the game Exquisite Corpse? This game gained popularity in artistic circles during the 1920s when it was adopted as a technique by artists of the Surrealist movement to generate collaborative compositions. Exquisite Corpse (from the original French term cadavre exquis, literally translated to exquisite cadaver), is a method that collectively assembles words or images created by collaborators. These collaborators add to a composition in sequence. As described by MoMA, it is a game in which each participant takes turns writing or drawing on a sheet of paper, folding it to conceal their contribution, and then passing it to the next player for another addition.

: Artwork: Abraham Cruz + Raul Castro-Cerrato + Anita Ragusa

: Artwork: Sergey Vershin + Abraham Cruz + William van Roden

THE RULES

To create each piece, the artist followed the guidelines of the original game. The collaborators exchanged works of art in a sequential order and concealed what was created and passed it onto the next artist. To add a unique take on the game, the artists also collaborated on diptychs. The diptychs break all the rules of the game, and each artist was able to see what the previous artist had created, allowing for reaction, rearrangement, and reconfiguration of the previous contribution. The two works show how the artists influence and inspire each other through this journey.

The exhibition will feature a diverse range of mediums, including painting, drawing, and mixed media, all unified by queer culture and curated by Abraham Cruz. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the artist’s visions, delve into their creative process, and experience the stories behind each piece.