About Learn to Play

Learn to Play was created by John Bruneau and James Morgan and developed with Jan Rindfleisch

Learn to Play presents a selection of poetic, artistic, and artful games that embody the qualities of human existence, focusing on the experience of playing and learning to play. The characteristics of these games echo human nature, teaching us who and what we are, or can be.

As conduits for bridging or separating cultures, games can be used to bring communities together for improvement of economic and social conditions, or to exploit communities through political maneuvering. The games chosen range from personal growth to those used for socially conscious purposes. Of particular interest are game situations that allow people to enter into a life driven by their
choice and conscience.

John Bruneau
Curator

John Pierre Bruneau is an internationally exhibiting new media artist based in the Silicon Valley. He holds a program associate position at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching which allows him to further his research into educational technology and serious games. He is a part-time Lecturer at the Art Institute of California, San Francisco where he teaches classes in web programming and game design. Bruneau is the cofounder of Ars Virtua, The Third Faction, and the San Jose State Game Developers Club. He has an MFA in Digital Media from the CADRE (Computers, Art, Design, Research, and Education) Laboratory for New Media at San Jose State University. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego in ICAM (Inter-disciplinary Computing in the Arts Major) His goal is to find new, innovative ways to improve education though technology and most importantly, keep learning fun.

James Morgan
Curator

James Morgan is an instructor at San Jose State University and co-coordinator of Sculpture and Experimental Media (SxM). Morgan has an MFA in Digital Media Art from the CADRE Laboratory for New Media and has worked as a curator for nearly ten years. Morgan is the director of Ars Virtua, has shown work nationally and internationally and has created projects for 01SJ, ISEA2006, EMAF, Laguna Art Museum and more. His work revolves around social structures, coded culture and virtual environments.

Jan Rindfleisch
Executive Director, Euphrat Museum of Art

For over 30 years, Jan Rindfleisch has been the director/curator of the Euphrat Museum of Art, De Anza College, building the museum from scratch after its sole funding was cut in 1978. Rindfleisch has curated well over 100 exhibitions on and off site. Rindfleisch’s unique curatorial style brings together artists, academics and students, children, youth and community on a variety of topics, from environmental sustainability to civic engagement. She reaches across cultural, racial, gender, age, and other barriers to develop presentations that advance scholarship, tackle difficult issues, enhance cultural understanding, and promote dialog and collaboration within the campus and local community. Rindfleisch has a BS in Physics, MFA in painting.

Learn to Play would also like to recognize those that helped us along the way.

Marek Kapolka
Curatorial Intern
Submissions Coordinator
Game Workshop Instructor

Julian Gomez
Program Consultant

Kelsey Higham
Game Workshop Instructor

Jennifer Lau
Installation Intern

DJ Walleee
Provider of Beats

heart - Learn to Play