Sociopolitical Plinko

(wood, acrylic paint, 3’x7”x3.5’, January 2016)

 

This version of Plinko is rigged to produce a winner fewer than 1 in 16 times. There are 5 different sized pucks with varying mobility around the Plinko board. The most privileged puck (the smallest one) has the most mobility with the demographics of male, wealthy, white and heterosexual. The puck with the least privilege (the largest puck) has the least mobility and represents women, impoverished, colored and the LGBTQ spectrum.

 

It is important to understand that this game is based on the imperfect system of binary categories that have been socially constructed to further oppress and segregate the masses from unifying. Because of this imperfect system, the pucks may unexpectedly get stuck between pegs which represent institutions of privilege and oppression.

 

One may need to cheat to win, although cheating does not work for every puck. Some pucks may block others and some pucks might never win. One puck might make it through every single time, while another puck might not make it past the first row.

 

This is reflective of power and privilege based on binary categories in America. Check your privilege!