Watch MoMA's documentary on 'Exquisite Corpse', a game Surrealist artists loved to play

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The Exquisite Corpse, known as “Cadavre Exquis” in French, is a surrealist game with roots stretching back to 1925, and it’s still stirring imaginations nearly a century later. Originally dreamed up by artists like André Breton, Yves Tanguy, Jacques Prévert, and Marcel Duchamp, the game invites participants to co-create strange, often humorous works by contributing in secret. Each player adds to a piece of art or text, folds the paper to conceal their part, and passes it along, resulting in a surprising, collaborative creation that reflects the beauty of chance.

 

To mark 100 years since the birth of the Surrealist movement, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has released a short documentary celebrating the game. In a nod to the Exquisite Corpse format itself, the video unfolds in three distinct sections, with animations from Kohana Wilson (the head), Miranda Javid (the torso), and Gina Kamentsky (the feet). This playful structure mirrors the game’s spirit, blending individual styles into a unified, unpredictable creation.

 

 

The game’s name comes from an early round of play when participants came up with the phrase "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau” ("The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine"). Inspired by similar parlor games like “Consequences,” the Surrealists used this method to break free from conventional ideas, embracing randomness and unlocking unconscious creativity. Over time, it became a favorite pastime for artists including Frida Kahlo, Man Ray, Joan Miró, and Max Ernst, who used the format to produce fantastical, absurd, and often bizarre collaborative drawings.

 

The enduring appeal of the Exquisite Corpse lies in its unpredictability. The game allowed Surrealists to explore their subconscious minds while celebrating the unexpected outcomes that emerged. Each new piece revealed strange combinations—think disjointed creatures with mismatched heads and feet—that delighted the artists and embodied the movement’s mission to challenge tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Even today, the game remains a popular tool among artists, writers, and creatives. It offers a playful and collaborative way to spark new ideas, reminding participants of the joy that can come from setting aside expectations and embracing the unknown. Whether through drawings, poetry, or digital experiments, the spirit of the Exquisite Corpse lives on as a tribute to surrealism's lasting influence on art and creativity.

 

• https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBPSb0OtF28 
• https://www.britannica.com/art/exquisite-corpse 
• https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-explaining-exquisite-corpse-surrealist-drawing-game-die 

 

 

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