XCXL: eXquisite Corpse eXtra Large

Artists of both national and regional acclaim came together and combined their creative talents to honor Lawndale’s 20th anniversary and continued commitment to the Houston art community. Organized by the Programming Committee, the anniversary exhibition followed in the grand tradition of the Surrealist salon game “Exquisite Corpse.” Dating back to the winter of 1925-26, “Exquisite Corpse” began as a game to tap the unconscious and foster collective imagination. Each game participant added to the drawing of head, body, and legs, beginning at the top of the paper and folding down after each contribution to conceal the previous drawings. The final drawings resulted in quirky and unexpected combinations of images.
Lawndale took the game of “Exquisite Corpse” and Texas-sized it! Each artist completed a 3 x 4 feet panel in any media that responded to the edges of the previous panel, which was concealed except for a two-inch band. The final result was eight complete exquisite corpses that were unveiled in the Main Gallery.