PLAY!

Mánes Exhibition Hall, which straddles the Vltava river between its east bank and Žofin Island, hosted the interactive experience PLAY from November through February.

It was organized by Czech artist Petr Nikl, who worked with more than 40 other artists in creating this eclectic romp for all ages. The boys and I visited PLAY twice with some school friends. Karl joined us the second time after we raved about our experience.

"Ground-level periscope, Petr Nikl"

Visitors were welcome to build, draw, spin, explore, make music, ...

The wall displays -- where kids drew pictures, wrote their names, and strung up objects -- evolved considerably during the five weeks between our two visits.

It was fantastic. Two floors of interactive stations that engaged imagination, fantasy, and four of the five senses. (And, lest the taste buds feel neglected, there was a palačinky (crêpes) bar available as well.) A few exhibit stations had clearly required technical know-how to assemble, but so much of it was simply groups of found items made available for children (and grownups) to do with what they would.

Plastic ties and cardboard rolls

Pegboards and dowels

Pipes and mallets

Percussion and noise were a big part of the experience. Kids reveled in being able to do whatever they wanted with what they found.

Our friend Elliot loved running in the plastic bottle maze.

In January, Šestka, the monthly periodical of Prague 6 (our neighborhood) published an interview with Nikl that Karl translated for me.

The exhibit at Mánes invites visitors in to play and in part only comes into being under their hands. Can it be enjoyed at all by a person who doesn't have fantasy?

I start from the conviction that there doesn't exist a person without imagination. Just like I don't know a person who doesn't have dreams. In my opinion, it's just that there's a difference between the ability to be aware of it and utilizing one's own fantasy.(Nikl)

(Toys and play objects) should be the inspiration of imagination and self-discovery. (Nikl)

For me, playfulness isn't relaxation but a source of discovery. A development of creativity. It broadens my horizon. (Nikl)

Turn the crank and watch the movie!

"How does this work?"

(This what he saw.)

To play with the existence of infinite possibilities. To be open to everything without preconceptions. (Nikl)

Garrett and I spent a good 45 minutes designing and building his fortress.

The first floor, where I took most of my pictures, was a big open space. Downstairs featured a series of rooms with different levels of lighting, lots of shadow play, kaleidoscope-type objects spinning on walls, even vibration stations.

Garrett mesmerized by the water dome.

Random objects float, spin and cast shadows in a display that included illuminated domes and a water canal with a current in a dimly lit room.

It had a dreamy, ethereal effect.

Upstairs -- along with all the collections of building/music-making/playing materials -- there was a ball tube roulette table (that's the best description I can conjure), the roving eyeball with remote control, and a cannon that shot smoke rings.

Ben takes the helm of PLAY's roving eyeball to get an aerial view of the hall.

The eyeball was cool. And a little creepy.

Ben and Owen play with the smoke cannon.

Owen, Garrett and Ben check out the ball tube roulette table.

These pictures and videos only skim the surface of our experience at PLAY. The four of us spent a full three hours there on a Friday at the end of a busy week (and, of course, the boys still thought we were being unreasonable to leave at 7pm).

All of us were enthralled in our way. The simplicity of it all was the most impressive aspect to me, that these everyday objects in sufficient numbers could unlock such creativity and fantasy play. I often am dismayed at the early push to consumerism that is so influential in the boys' world. It was a delight to see them engaged and inspired by styrofoam shapes, suction cups, and shadows.

And I've started hoarding recycling materials to play with over spring break.