Cally Trench and Elisabetta Balasso: Original board and card games

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Cally Trench’s original board games are both works of art and properly playable games, for which she has made the pieces and boards, and invented the rules. She writes: ‘These games do not pretend to make intellectual statements about economic or political problems. Just as musicals often confront topics such as war, revolution, and poverty, I believe that board games are a way for people to engage with what distresses us. In general, players willingly suspend disbelief and play in earnest; board games seem to bypass the intellect and engage people directly at an emotional level. My board games highlight moral and ethical problems while not suggesting solutions. Players are not invited to make up their minds; instead they have to live with the choices that they make or cope with the events thrust upon them.’ Games include 'Trees versus Axemen' and 'Gravestones and Dry Bones'.

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Elisabetta Balasso is a Venezuelan artist and author. She writes: ‘Games can be summarized as a narrative with a set of rules, and as such, they may be an interesting way to exercise values such as respecting laws agreed by consensus (or even making up new ones), efficient communication, collaboration towards a common aim, or civic behaviour. Game-playing locates the participants in an open state, where they are willing to suspend reality for a while and actively participate in a common activity designed to interact with others - and ultimately grow by amusement.' Games include 'Hyperinflation Soup' and 'Dinner is served'.

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