Beutekunst

Is it really stealing if the current keepers stole it first?

We seldom think about how many famous artifacts kept in iconic western museums got in there through armed robbery. There's no other way to describe how former colonial powers took them. So if a ragtag bunch of bleeding hearts was to retrieve such items in a less than lawful manner, the current keepers had it coming.

In Beutekunst, you play these idealistic amateur heisters, and your goal is giving back what was stolen! 

It's the 90s, and new technologies mean security is getting tighter, but this doesn't mean a well-tossed banana peel won't buy you time.

Whether your character is in it to stick it to the man, do right by their people back home, atone for their privileges as a first-worlder (if such a thing is even possible), indulge in reckless thrillseeking, or double-cross the others for cash (like a dick), all you need to play is two six-sided dice, pen, paper, and some friends.

The base idea for this game spontaneously arose in my head after watching Jacob Geller's amazing Museum Theft video. Check it out; it's an eye-opener and contains some crazy stories. 

Additionally, I encourage you to dive deeper into the topic of looted art and colonialism. Here are some resources: 

• Returning Heritage
• DW - Africa's Looted Art
• DW - Colonial art: The case of a piece stolen from Cameroon
• DW - Cameroon: Repatriation of looted sculpture sparks controversy
• The Guardian - Give the Parthenon marbles back to Greece – tech advances mean there are no more excuses
• Art Review - Property and Theft: A History of Looting in Southeast Asia

NO NFT FUCKERY ALLOWED. YOU MAY NOT MINT NFTS OF THIS GAME OR ANY OF THE ART WITHIN.