Paradice:
Interactive Art as Game
by John O'Neill
Reviewed by Kathleen Jacoby
HOW MANY TIMES have we been to museums and seen sensual art pieces that are untouchable because they are art? Positioned in front of me is a spectacular series of sculpted modern art pieces that have a dual function. These art pieces are part of an interactive game called Paradice, created and designed by artist/alchemist, John O'Neill.
Paradice is the first in a series of "games" designed to enhance our journey through a maze of life experiences that call us to confront what it means to be a human being. The beauty of the games is that we have to play all parts - we are not the good one or the bad one, we are both/and, given opportunity after opportunity to wake up and recognize that our actions affect all life, and that we are designed to become what we were originally intended - Fully Human. To be fully human, we have to recognize our interdependence on one another and with all of life, and need to reconcile our inner being with our outer persona.
Paradice offers a perfect opportunity to see how we relate to our world. The playing pieces are beautifully sculpted modern art resin images portraying the space we inhabit. Trees from the four-eco systems of earth are representatives of life. Colorful Tree Spirits who imbue vitality to the forests are key figures, for without their overriding life force, there is no life. Humans are portrayed as fragmented pieces who are swayed by opportunity - either to deplete, or to enrich, and only when the individual pieces are brought together in solidarity do they form a pyramid that brings the game to an end, and enlightenment to the planet.
The object of the journey is to view opportunity from two sides, as Giver and Taker. Each role coincides with our own nature; the inner Being, or our Personality. The roles in the game can be reversed by chance or skill, but both players are vying for the opportunity to be winner, which can only happen when the Taker becomes the Giver. Much like chess, this is a game of strategy - but also of seeming chance. The Taker is trying to inhibit the Giver from
unifying humanity just long enough for skill or opportunity to reverse roles, giving them the chance to be the savior.
The beauty of this interactive game is that it mimics real life. A round die is positioned in a black capsule that circumnavigates the forested playing board, and depending on what number is rolled; the players assume the persona of the Taker or the Giver. The roles are reversible, however, when the cast of the die lands on a number representing change. Paradice becomes a metaphor for what we are making of our lives, our planet, and our relationship to one another.
I found that playing the game put me in an uncomfortable position. I didn't want to be a Taker. I wanted everything to be love and light, but had to rely on strategy as the Giver in order to avoid losing ground and the game. I got to be the Giver in the beginning, but when the roll of the die turned up a number 1, the roles shifted, and I had to become the Taker. It was not a desirable role for me, and demonstrated how strongly we identify with who we think we are. Yet, in one way or another, we are always in a position of Taking and Giving, and none of us is ever only one or the other.
In playing, and watching the response of each participant, we see who is more comfortable with challenges, and who avoids risk or confrontation. In the process, it becomes clear that there is no way to "win" until self interest transforms into a cohesive vision that affirms life rather than destroys it. Yet in order to achieve that vision, we can't just wish it in to being - we must prepare the groundwork for it through making wise choices and planning for contingencies.
Paradice is much more than a game. It evokes an underlying "memory" of creation. Complex and textured, the playing requires strategy and understanding consequences of our movement, just as life does. The pieces are visually stunning, and touching them is akin to being able to hold museum quality modern art without penalty. In and of itself, the physical game is an eye-catching art piece. No one passes by without commenting. You are drawn in by its color and style, and by an intangible "something" that calls your attention. It is no wonder that Paradice is in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, and other museums across the country.
Artist and creator, John O'Neill, is a brilliant visionary whose overall concept for the upcoming games in the series is truly inspired. His intention of merging art and play with an overriding and underlying knowledge of reality makes this a revolutionary process of light and shadow through play. The game can 
be a game, but it is hard to miss the bigger message, even though it is subtly infused in the shapes and purpose of each piece. It calls to us at a primal level, and we grow through the playing. O'Neill has cast a trinity of art, game, and Spirit into a very innovative design, and for those who love fine modern art and also appreciate challenging themselves, I urge you to visit the website to see the pieces, and to consider this very unique interactive art work for yourself or for special persons on your holiday gift list. www.seethroughgames.com
The colors of the resin pieces become luminescent with changing light, and given that this work is considered museum quality art sculpture, it is not surprising that the cost is not inexpensive - because it is an investment in art. There is an intangible element of mystery and magic that I find fascinating. In the changing colors reflected through varying light sources, completely different feelings emerge as the shapes take on different hues, and I can almost sense a mythical realm as I gaze upon the scene. Imagination soars, and I am moved to arrange the pieces on the board to match my inner sense of things in the moment. Rather than a game, I am participating in soulful art - and the possibilities are only limited by the extent of my own inspiration.
Paradice becomes a multi faceted interactive expression for one or more people. After playing the game, my impulse is now to arrange the pieces as my mood dictates, reflecting where I am in the now, and seeing how my expression lends itself to harmony or disruption ... a more complex variation of Sandplay. I have Paradice displayed prominently in my living room, and everyone who enters is immediately drawn to it and wants to touch the pieces and have time to play the game, too. This is something like no other, and I recommend it to anyone on the journey of self-discovery. It is indeed a masterly crafted expression of art mimicking life.
About the Artist/Creator:
John O'Neill is an artist committed to the realignment of art with society in forms that people can appreciate and afford. He pursues the synthesis of artistic inspiration with insight into the human situation.
Beginning in 1975, John evolved a philosophy he calls Admcadiam™. Admcadiam manifests his vision to create beauty for the heart, message for the soul and challenge for the mind. In this journey, John pioneered the design of accessible and affordable art: playing cards, board games, video games, and web animation. As early as the 1980s, his games set the standard for educational and non-violent video games. He has accrued such accolades as "the Salvador Dali of Video Games," and the "Pied Piper of Computer Gaming." After launching Flyghts of Fancie in 1982, this company became synonymous with innovation in the non-violent sector of the video game industry. Lifespan won the "most innovative game" award in 1985. Dolphin's Rune won "best educational game" in 1987.
Admcadiam games demonstrate an evolution in the concept of winning and losing. Through interactive art, one explores the richness of self, the duality of human nature, the balance and the interconnectedness of all life.
John returned to game development in 2001 because he believes it is time to create a new genre of entertainment for people seeking to better understand the world and self through art. He created Paradice because he believes that objects for entertainment, such as games, should not only be beautiful, but also engage the mind and emotions. Paradice is the first of a matrix of nine games that carry meaningful messages for living in a more harmonious, cooperative way. The games are designed to take people on an interactive journey from fear to bliss.
For more information or to contact John through the website visit: www.seethroughgames.com
