Lead Experience Designer, Game Writer, Game Designer, Graphic Designer, Co-Producer
A rapid 3:41 version of the 4 hour game night event for Game Recognize Game/Bazi Recognize Bazi.
At 1:10 is where the gameplay and presentation of Cards Against Iranians et al - the Bling Bling Version.
The clip shows how Karimi disrupted the museum space with large parking sign-sized versions of the cards, and gives a sense of the gameplay and the performances of the night - there is no live audio in this clip - just background music.
Based on Cards against Iranians, Syrians, Iraqis, Somalis, et al. expansion pack Karimi designed and mass produced to disrupt the US most popular card game, Cards Against Humanity. The satirical card deck meant to critique Trump's "Muslim Ban," features questions players have to answer using countries from the Muslim Ban as the subject matter (Cards Against Humanity "is an adult card-based party game in which players complete fill-in-the-blank statements, using words or phrases typically deemed offensive, risqué, or politically incorrect, printed on playing cards" - players use white cards to answer questions on black cards to make other players laugh - Cards Against Humanity is known as one of the most racist, sexist, mysognystic games and its tagline is "a game for horrible people."). Karimi designed the cards and the experience around it - where audience/players have to play with "game hosts" - comedians from the countries of the Muslim Ban and attempt to make fun of them in front of them and face their wrath. The idea was to complicate the original game's mechanics and to show how players can be part of the xenophobic and racist mentality that created the Muslim Ban in the first place. The night always has music, food, etc. to make it a fun game night that last hours. The experience creates dialogue around the Muslim Ban because most players don't know enough about West Asia or South America or North Africa (areas which the Muslim Ban banned citizens from entering the U.S.), the game "breaks" and players' ignorance about the region comes to the forefront even though everyone is having fun.
For "The Bling Bling Version," Karimi redesigned the cards and added questions about Iranian women for players answer, and invited two Iranian-Hawaiians to be "game hosts." Heiress Doris Duke's Chandelier Room was set as the backdrop because Duke hosted parties there and one of the stereotypes of Iranians is that they are materialistic and would love that room the best. Karimi asked local drag queen Tita Titsler to serve as hostess of the game night - to be a faux Doris Duke - and add glamour and sheen to the experience.
Karimi designed parking sign-sized versions of the Cards Against Iranians et al. cards to disrupt the museum, so as the orientalist curation of Duke's mansion acted as the white cards of the original game. Karimi wished to call attention to the museumgoer's ignorance of the region - as the museum is where people come to witness Duke's extravagant collection, yet never call into question how some of the world's most unique Muslim artifacts landed in private hands.
← Back to Samples