What is the Exquisite Corpse game?

The Exquisite Corpse (cadavre exquis) is a collaborative game invented by Surrealists in 1925 that produces composite drawings or texts through collective creation. In the drawing version, one participant draws a head on paper, folds it to hide their work (leaving only connection marks), and passes it to the next person who draws a torso, and so on. The complete figure is revealed only when unfolded. The game produces surprising, often humorous hybrid figures that bypass individual conscious control. Named after an early result (‘The exquisite corpse shall drink the new wine’), the game exemplifies Surrealist interest in chance, collaboration, and accessing collective unconscious imagery. Artists and educators continue using Exquisite Corpse for creative exploration.