Welcome to the Internet version of the classic game, "Heads, Bodies, & Legs".

The game has a proud history, & was associated with the early Surrealists under the name "le Cadavre exquis", or Exquisite Corpses.

"Several of us would often meet to string words together or to draw a figure fragment by fragment. How many evenings we spent in the loving creation of a whole race of Exquisite Corpses. It was up to every player to find more charm, more unity, more daring in this collectively determined poetry. …We gambled with images, and there were no losers. Each of us wanted his neighbour to win more and more, so that he could pass it on to his neighbour."

- Paul Eluard, Donner a Voir.

The traditional method of play is as follows: each artist draws a Head at the top of a piece of paper. They fold the paper over, so that only the bottom of the neck can be seen, & pass it to their neighbour. Each player then draws a Body attached to the neck, & again folds the paper so that only the tops of the thighs remain visible. The sheets pass round again, & legs are drawn… the papers are folded one last time, so that the final player can add a Name or title to the bottom of the page.

When the papers are unfolded, the result is a Creature unexpected, & yet created, by all.

On this site you can find Creatures produced by this method (on the "Pre-Net Rounds" pages), but for the most part we are concerned with playing the game over the Internet. For more information as to how we manage this, see the "How to Play" page.

Want to Play?

Just e-mail the Bank for simple instructions using this form:

Please note that while we are always happy to hear from artists wishing to play, participation is strictly by invitation only… in other words, genuine enquiries only - no spam, please!

WARNING!

In keeping with the true traditions of Surrealism, some of the material displayed on this site may be considered offensive by some unusually sensitive or susceptible souls. Such people should NOT forray any further than this page.