Experiment #1: Direction, Color Memory, and Character Games

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November 15, 2015         Sunview Luncheonette and McGorlick Park        Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NYC

DIRECTION GAME
Based on: Clarinda Mac Low, direction challenged. Players are given a deck of 30 cards with directions for proceeding from one end of McGorlick Park to another. The directions create a series of physical or psychological barriers and detours, bringing the players into the state of someone who has difficulty finding their way through space. Before beginning, the players are instructed to imagine themselves in a situation where they cannot be late (a child needs pick-up, a second date, a job obligation) before playing the game, to add an extra layer of urgency.

COLOR MEMORY AND CHARACTER GAMES
Based on: Lauren Bierly, grapheme-color synesthesia (letters appear as colors)

COLOR MEMORY
This game tests the players’ memory of the complex set of colors that Bierly experiences when viewing letters and numbers. It is similar to any game of concentration, except that, in this case, the players require a key to determine which color matches which letter.

CHARACTER
The game reveals the characteristics of everyday visual stimuli. What does a triangle taste like? Why is 8 always rude? The players choose from one of the four decks of cards–shape, colors, letters, and numbers, then roll a die to determine which characteristic will be described–taste, personality, smell, or sound. Once the characteristic has been selected, players have 60 seconds to give as many 2-word descriptions of the selected visual as possible (e.g. a triangle tastes like a chile pepper, a lemon, salty, etc.)