Habitario: A Board Game Challenging Mexican Domestic Norms Through Female Narratives
Brenda Isabel Pérez's 'Habitario' emerges as a compelling blend of art and scholarly inquiry, manifested as a board game that invites players to explore and critically engage with Mexican domestic environments. This initiative, which benefits from the prestigious Jóvenes Creadores grant, reframes our understanding of 'habitarios' not merely as physical locations but as dynamic arenas where daily routines unfold, social connections are forged, and communal memories are shaped. Through an interactive framework that translates literary and sociological insights into tangible gameplay, 'Habitario' prompts participants to dissect conventional domestic arrangements and envision novel spatial configurations that reflect evolving societal needs and individual experiences.
At its core, 'Habitario' leverages the power of storytelling to unpack the intricate layers of domestic life. By drawing inspiration from the works of prominent Mexican female authors who have explored themes of care, control, and gendered expectations within the home, the game encourages a deeper reflection on these often-overlooked aspects. Participants interact with the game by constructing speculative homes and navigating narrative prompts, fostering a collective dialogue about the historical and contemporary realities of domesticity. This engaging methodology not only makes complex research accessible but also empowers players to become active contributors in reimagining spaces that transcend traditional limitations, promoting resilience and diverse forms of living.
Exploring Domesticity Through Narrative Play
Brenda Isabel Pérez's 'Habitario' offers a unique approach to understanding domestic environments in Mexico, transforming an art and research project into an interactive board game. This innovative creation, supported by the Jóvenes Creadores grant, defines 'habitarios' as both tangible and abstract settings where everyday experiences, social interactions, and collective memories coalesce. By merging literary insights with spatial design, the game invites players to critically assess established domestic structures and to envision new, adaptable models for living. It provides a platform for challenging conventional perceptions of home and encourages a collaborative exploration of how these spaces reflect and influence personal and communal life.
The game's design is deeply rooted in the narratives of four influential Mexican women writers: Inés Arredondo, Amparo Dávila, Elena Garro, and Gabriela Damián Miravete. Instead of directly illustrating their stories, 'Habitario' distills their themes of domestic care, control, and gender roles into a series of spatial and narrative prompts. Players use wooden elements and acrylic figures to construct imaginative houses, embodying various domestic archetypes like daughter or mother. This process allows participants, regardless of architectural background, to engage with complex concepts of domestic memory and spatial practice. Each game session leads to distinct collective constructions, highlighting the fluid and interpretive nature of domestic space and fostering an ongoing dialogue about its potential for transformation beyond conventional family structures.
Women's Perspectives on Domestic Memory and Spatial Practice
The conceptual foundation of 'Habitario' is significantly enriched by literary works that delve into women's experiences within domestic confines, alongside extensive research into the biographical and geographical contexts of the featured authors. Designer Brenda Isabel Pérez meticulously studied the living environments and socio-cultural factors that influenced these writers, translating these insights into the game's character archetypes and overarching framework. Furthermore, the project incorporates theoretical frameworks, such as Marcela Lagarde's 'Los cautiverios de las mujeres,' to critically examine how societal structures impose limitations on women through prescribed domestic roles. This multi-faceted approach ensures that the game provides a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of domesticity from a female perspective.
Through the construction of speculative homes using wooden components and acrylic figures, 'Habitario' functions as a dynamic research tool, enabling participants to reflect on their own domestic memories and spatial habits. The process encourages profound introspection about past living arrangements, including the presence of courtyards, circulation patterns, and areas dedicated to domestic labor. It also stimulates discussions on potential alterations, omissions, or additions to these spaces, fostering an imaginative redesign of domestic environments to support alternative lifestyles. By enabling players to create elements such as an ever-open zaguán or a window for shouting, the game offers a symbolic reworking of traumatic experiences faced by women like Guadalupe or Luisa, whose struggles against reproductive and domestic constraints from the twentieth century resonate with contemporary challenges. 'Habitario' thus positions architecture as an emotive and social practice, revealing how spatial organization profoundly impacts labor, intimacy, and collective existence, offering open-ended configurations that ensure each session is a unique journey into the possibilities of domestic space. The exhibition is currently open at Centro Cultural San Roque until March 22, 2026.