Artistry on backgammon boards?

Well, we knew that backgammon required skill and luck to play the game well but who knew that a bunch of artistes could be so inspired by the game that they would create works of arts?

And that’s exactly what happened. Artists from 60 different countries have used the black and white standard white board to create wonderful new works of arts that can and will inspire people from all over the world. Even you don’t play the game; you can still appreciate the hard work and love that has gone into creating these lovely boards. In a special exhibit, artists presented over 70 different boards at the Givatayim’s municipal art gallery. Israelite artists and non Israelite artists collaborated to create a black and white medley that symbolized peach and integrity in the world. A few of the more prominent names at the exhibition included Keren Shpilsher, Haya Graetz Ran, Joshua Griffit, Mirit Cohen Caspi, Yoel Gilinsky, Hadas Levy, and Karen Gillerman, who happens to be the daughter of former UN ambassador Danny Gillerman

The so named “Art of Reconciliation Exhibition” had lovely boards on display including one which had a stylized picture of a Cleopatra on it. Another one by Malka Imbal used alphabets and images to create a wonderfully intricate picture on an ordinary backgammon board. Rachel Navon created a piece that looked almost like a handcrafted quilt in bright red with geometric patterns all over. The main theme of the exhibition was peace and happiness in the Middle East and it was aptly shown in the wonderfully intricate boards. As the game was game of backgammon also is a method of reaching peace, balance and understanding with both opponents of the game; the exhibition was incredibly matching to the theme that was set.

The exhibition has also been sponsored by Play65 which is one of the few sites that is legal in Israel for online backgammon.