TRUTH OR DRAWER?

A community game of honesty and/or audacity. Which would you choose?

Truth or Drawer was Modern Art's community exploration of audacity and honesty. Agame of difficult truths and playful risks.

Over one crisp fall weekend in 2018, visitors were invited to play a new spin on the classic game. The rules were deceptively simple: choose Truth or Drawer. Once a choice was made, there was no turning back.

Those who chose Truth were led to a couch, where our dear friend the Gorilla emerged carrying a silver tray of cards. Each card contained a provocative truth about humanity. Read within the playful context of Modern Art, the unexpectedly somber messages often landed with surprising weight. Players were invited to keep their card as a small companion—something to carry and contemplate long after leaving.

Those who chose Drawer approached the refurbished card catalog, selecting one drawer at random. Inside waited an art dare: mail a handwritten thank-you note to someone; put on a gorilla suit and go buy yourself something at the cafe; cut an animal from a vintage book and write a poem about it; stand in the gallery window for five minutes; choose a record to play on the turntable; orgather found materials from the surrounding block to make a bouquet. Each drawer proposed a small act of courage, generosity, absurdity, or attention.

Whether confronting an uncomfortable truth or accepting an unexpected invitation to act, every participant committed to following through. Each completed challenge earned a modest prize. The real reward, though, was the experience itself: a moment of choosing between inward reflection and outward action, discovering that both require a similar kind of bravery.

Below are some stories from that day (all photos by Sara Code Kroll)

Dog Dare: find the book titled “Ready to use old-fashioned animal cuts”, turn to page 7, find the smallest dog (do not be distracted by the oversized cat head), bark loudly at this dog.

Jenny Picks Truth:

Some of our sobering truths, courtesy of the gorilla in the back

Steve’s dare: Hop on the Nicole ArtBike and deliver posters to some local businesses. (He’s game!)

Cheryl’s Dare: Find the book “Ready to Use Old-Fashioned Animal Cuts. Turn to page 7. Find the solo cat head. Write a poem about this lovely sweet cat head. Leave the poem in this drawer. (She rocked it!)

Chris’ Dare: Find a National Geographic magazine. Find a picture that speaks to you. Cut it out. Crumble it up. Put in in your mouth and chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. (delicious!)

Dan’s and Lynnea’s Dare: Take a picture of something or someone at Modern Art. Find a good spot to hang it.