INFO
This Project has been supported by
THE TEAM
ANNA MARIA ORRÙ PHD - PROJECT LEADER
Anna Maria’s work is embedded in biomimicry (nature’s inspiration), artistic/design research and in curating ‘hands-on’ research and action, providing alternative approaches to ecological design and sustainability through transdisciplinary modes. Everywhere in her practice and teaching, she looks to provide practical and innovative solutions to tackle the climate breakdown. She is co-founder and directs Nordic Biomimicry, a center dedicated to collaborating with nature as a mentor, measure and method. In her practice, she situates herself between academia, research, and public space, an editor of an art-book press called Vegetable Lamb Press and exhibits in various contexts such as the recent Superorganism show at Munkeruphus in Denmark. In 2020, she started the Montepreti nature academy with the Danish poet Morten Søndergaard on a farm in the hills of Tuscany, where she runs a series of international courses with SSES (Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship), DIS (Study abroad in Scandinavia), IED Torino and other organisations on sustainability, design, food systems and real-world situations. All within the context of Post-growth thinking. Her work in conducting these educational programmes was nominated for the NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS ‘Education Champions’ Award in 2023. She is an Affiliated Senior Lecturer at Konstfack – University of Arts, Crafts and Design (Stockholm SE) but teaches abroad in Italy and most recently in Japan at Kyoto University of Arts. Anna Maria has a PhD in Architecture & Artistic Research, from Chalmers University of Technology. In her in-between time, she is a beekeeper and takes care of a biodynamic vineyard and olive grove.
WEBSITE
ANDREA GARCÍA PORTOLÉS - TEAM DESIGNER
Andrea is an ecologically conscious and ethically grounded designer experienced in the boundaries between art, design, photography and video production.
She holds both a BA and MA degree in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid, ES, and a second MA in Ecological Design from Konstfack University of Arts, Craft, and Design in Stockholm, SE.
Her design work is firmly grounded in sustainability that spans biomimicry, soil care, and ecofeminism. Her journey includes numerous collaborations with a diverse range of professionals and projects, initially centred on the creative communications sector and since 2021 increasingly addressing ecological and social issues.
Andrea has also become an advocate of Biomimicry, soil health and post growth living collaborating with the Montepreti Nature Academy on projects, exhibitions and course programmes together with SSES (Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship) and Nordic Biomimicry. Her design and artwork have been exhibited both in Sweden and Denmark, recently at the Superorganism Exhibition
She holds both a BA and MA degree in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid, ES, and a second MA in Ecological Design from Konstfack University of Arts, Craft, and Design in Stockholm, SE.
Her design work is firmly grounded in sustainability that spans biomimicry, soil care, and ecofeminism. Her journey includes numerous collaborations with a diverse range of professionals and projects, initially centred on the creative communications sector and since 2021 increasingly addressing ecological and social issues.
Andrea has also become an advocate of Biomimicry, soil health and post growth living collaborating with the Montepreti Nature Academy on projects, exhibitions and course programmes together with SSES (Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship) and Nordic Biomimicry. Her design and artwork have been exhibited both in Sweden and Denmark, recently at the Superorganism Exhibition
WEBSITE
HISTORICAL INSPIRATION
ELIZABETH MAGIE - GAME-MAKER & FEMINIST
CONTINUING THE WORK OF LIZZIE
Elizabeth Magie, inventor of the Landlord’s Game,in 1936
Photograph: Anspach Archives
Polymundi retorts to the widespread game called monopoly, in which a ‘mono’ mindset sees the city as a place of investment, capital and growth. In Monopoly, city living becomes a commodity. But where does monopoly come from?
If we dig deeper, the original monopoly game is not what it seems. Monopoly was taken from the original boardgame called ‘The landlord’s Game’ created by leftwing feminist Elizabeth Magie in 1904.
Her game was directed towards showing the risks of a city solely driven by capitalism and property outlook. Magie designed the game to illustrate the consequences of concentrating land in private monopolies. She was inspired by the economic philosophy Georgism (Geoism), known as the single tax movement, developed by American economist and social reformer Henry George in the late 19th century.
Magie designed her game on the principles of georgism in which she wished to demonstrate how rents enrich property owners and impoverish tenants. Her game was meant to enlighten citizens about how property inequalities happen and what could be done. She wanted to put Georgist ideas into the game so they would become easier to demonstrate. Magie’s hope was that if the game was played by children, it could provoke their natural suspicion of unfairness and they could carry this awareness into adulthood. But there are also hints that suggest that ‘The Landlord’s Game’ has some similarities taken from the basic rules of Zohn Ahl ("creek" "wood"), a board game played by the Kiowa Indians of North America.
Her Landlord’s game created two sets of rules: an anti-monopolist (the Prosperity Rules) set in which all players were rewarded. Where wealth was created and distributed fairly, and all players benefit from land rent. And a monopolist set (the Monopolist Rules) in which the goal was to create monopolies and bankrupt other players. Maggie’s vision was an embrace of dualism where she provided a contradiction in the game itself.
A game where the tension of life was placed between opposing values and philosophies. She wanted to illustrate the comparison between both worlds, and the consequences of choosing a monopolist viewand its unfairness and greed. The game was a public domain concept with an intention to educate people about the economic effects of monopolies, particularly with the aim of promoting social reforms.
Then, in the 1930’s a man named Charles Darrow popularized and commercialized a game called Monopoly which took only the monopolist strand of rules from Magie’s game. He omitted the more progressive and socialist aspects of the original design. Charles Darrow and Parker Brother’s earned the rewards of the game’s success. When Magie discovered all this, she went to the press in 1936 to uncover Monopoly’s true origins. To keep her quiet, Parker Brothers paid her a token 500 dollars for the rights to the Landlord’s game and agreed to publish her other games though without ever promoting them. In 1939, they re-issued a new version of the Landlord’s Game but omitted the single tax rules (the Prosperity Rules) and it had no resemblance to the original game. Magie’s role in the creation of Monopoly continued to remain obscure.
Then, in the 1930’s a man named Charles Darrow popularized and commercialized a game called Monopoly which took only the monopolist strand of rules from Magie’s game. He omitted the more progressive and socialist aspects of the original design. Charles Darrow and Parker Brother’s earned the rewards of the game’s success. When Magie discovered all this, she went to the press in 1936 to uncover Monopoly’s true origins. To keep her quiet, Parker Brothers paid her a token 500 dollars for the rights to the Landlord’s game and agreed to publish her other games though without ever promoting them. In 1939, they re-issued a new version of the Landlord’s Game but omitted the single tax rules (the Prosperity Rules) and it had no resemblance to the original game. Magie’s role in the creation of Monopoly continued to remain obscure.
In 1973 Ralph Anspach, a leftwing academic invented the game anti-Monopoly to turn the table on the game Monopoly. Little does he know that a version of such a game had already existed and been invented by Magie. The story continues, and parker brothers threatens Anspach with a lawsuit. Anspach fought back and begins to piece together the early history behind monopoly. What was making parker brothers so nervous? Anspach brought to the surface the unjust behind Monopoly’s invention and sought to undermine Parker Brother’s on the intellectual property. For a decade Anspach continued his case and in the end succeeded at a trial that reached the supreme court in 1983 in putting Magie’s vital role into the game’s narration beyond dispute. During this time, he also built an archive of material dedicated to The Landlord’s Game. Unfortunately, Monopolycontinues downplay Magie’s role if its production and still attributes Charles Darrow.
So, it is why we dedicate Polymundi to the beginning feminist work of Elizabeth Magie and may her original intention emerge again in manifolds.
Landlords Game 1906
image courtesy of T Forsyth owner of the registered trademark 20151119