The Smithsonian American Art Museum is thrilled to take part in America Now! a three-part collaboration jointly organized with the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of American History. In our inaugural year, all three museums have been focused on highlighting a fundamental part of the American experience: innovation! We found Italian architect, Nathalie Pozzi's, and game designer, Eric Zimmerman's collaborative physical games to be a captivating hybrid of art, innovation, and fun. Public Programs Coordinator, Katy Corella, interviewed them about their game, Starry Heavens, which will be front and center in the Kogod Courtyard on June 27th for our celebration of innovation in art.
Eye Level: How did your collaboration begin?
Eric Zimmerman: Several years ago, I was working on a game project called Block Ball for the "Come Out and Play" festival in New York City. It was a sport played indoors and had lots of physical components. On the day of installation I realized too late that I was in over my head and Nathalie swooped in to help me. I was amazed by her ability to immediately size up a space and her advice on how to use physical materials.
Nathalie Pozzi: A few months later Eric had gotten a commission from a conference called "The Art History of Games" to design a game in gallery. He asked me if I wanted to collaborate and for some reason I said yes. That was more than five years ago and we've done several projects together since then.
EL: When you are collaborating, how integral is the physical space and the installation to the concept of the game? Do these two components start out separate then integrate, is one designed for the other, or are they tied together from the beginning of design?
NP: We are an architect and a game designer, so the relationship between the space design and the structure of the gameplay is a key part of our projects. And our thinking has evolved over time. In our earlier projects, the physical elements acted almost like a stage for the game experience. But in our more recent work, the two are more and more integrated with each other. In Starry Heavens, we feel like you can't really separate the two.
EL: The environment of Starry Heavens is such an essential part of the game. The inflatable ribbon is so whimsical while the game is very strategic. How does that whimsy compliment or reinforce the concept of the game?
NP: That is such a nice way to describe the work. What's ironic is that Eric is the playful one, even though he's the one making the rigid rules for people to follow. I am much more serious and usually prefer severe forms.
EZ: The contrast between the organic suspended shape and the more rigid game grid also speaks to the kind of narrative we want to create through the game. Starry Heavens is a kind of fable about people trapped in a society of rules. During the game, the Ruler slowly pulls down a large helium balloon, trying to escape from society and reach the heavens above.
EL: When you saw the game played for the first time, were you surprised about how people responded to the game/environment/each other? Did anything happen that was unexpected or unintentional?
EZ: The first time we saw the game played we were struck by how much the players looked like they were taking part in some kind of dance. When the Ruler in the center calls out a color ("black," "white," or "gray") the other players all step at the same time to a new space. It's like some kind of slow-motion waltz. That's why, the next time we staged the game in Berlin live musicians were added that improvised with the game players. Having musicians play music that responds to what people are doing is now an important part of the game. For the Smithsonian, we're excited to be working with musicians from the group Good Co.
NP: Adding music also gave players more agency. When a new Ruler begins, he or she starts by saying, "I am the Ruler of [fill in the blank]." And they can fill in the blank however they want. This is a cue to the musicians as to what kind of music to play. We've seen everything from "I am the Ruler of Polka Dots," which resulted in somewhat plinky and staccato sounds, to "I am the Queen of Love," which produced a sexy tune that got all the players swaying their hips in time.
EL: I know Starry Heavens has been played at other museums as well as other games physical games you have worked on, do you find that players in a museum setting have a different approach to the game? If so, what it is it?
EZ: Lots! Every game has rules to learn. If you just bought a new boardgame, you don't mind taking out the rules and going through them before you start. If you're playing a new videogame, the game itself usually has a tutorial level to help you learn how to play. But nobody coming to a museum or gallery wants to learn a bunch of rules just to interact with something! So we spend a lot of effort trying to make our rules simple and easy to learn. That said, it seems more than more that people don't mind participating with interactive experiences in a museum space. We just need to make sure that we provide an environment where everyone is comfortable playing.
EL: Any tips for players of Starry Heavens?
EZ: Watch your back! And play multiple times! There's a lot of strategy to discover.
NP: Don't listen to him. Just enjoy yourself and don't get caught cheating.
Come and play Starry Heavens in the Kogod Courtyard on June 27th from 4-7 p.m. at America Now! Innovation in Art. The event is free and open to the public. No reservations required. America Now! is made possible with the generous support of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Family Foundation. The America Now! Series will continue for 10 years so stay tuned for next year's events.
