Art you can play with? Why not? MatriaSKAT is a limited-edition artist’s edition featuring a bee, a queen, and a king.
This box brings together an entire beehive. Traditional Schwalenberg blue-print motifs meet vibrant colors, delicate illustrations, and a new card layout. The result is a fully playable Skat deck—and, at the same time, a work of art in its own right.
A Small New Order
In MatriaSKAT, it is not the king who leads the royal household. The queen bee holds the highest rank. The honeybee is the queen, the drone is the jack, and the honeycomb is the ace.
The familiar rules of Skat remain the same. What I’ve changed are the visuals and the characters. The result is a version of the classic card game that draws on tradition, shifts it, and reassembles it with a touch of whimsy.
Bee, Lady, Queen
Those sweet little bees could spread their positive vibes in a much more optimistic way than those bizarre crawling beetles. And so things took their course—until an entire bee colony had emerged.
Each bee features a traditional pattern. Every color and card rank displays its own variation of the Schwalenberg blueprint. I drew the motifs on the computer, mirrored them, combined them, and refined them. The possibilities, even in the smallest details, were virtually limitless.
An old tradition with a new twist—that was my goal.
Fronts and Backs
The traditional blue remains visible. At the same time, red, yellow, and other bright colors add visual interest to the deck and make it easier to find your way around while playing.
Details of the Edition
- 32 cards from a classic Skat deck
- Can be played according to all standard Skat rules
- Limited edition of 100 copies
- Card Characters: Queen Bee, Honeybee, and Drone
- Honeycomb as an Ace
- Traditional Schwalenberg blue-print motifs with a new design
- Custom-designed box for storing the deck of cards
I like the idea that this edition isn’t just meant to be looked at. It’s meant to be picked up, shuffled, and played with. Maybe playing with it will even change our perspective on the familiar order just a little.
An Edition with a Backstory
MatriaSKAT emerged from my art project for the “mitBLAU” exhibition. My starting point was the traditional patterns of Schwalenberg blue-printing and the question of what would happen if I broke them free from their fixed order.
On the project page “MatriaSKAT – A Game with New Rules,” I go into more detail about the first game card, the beetle-like designs, and the journey to the bee, the queen, and the king. The exhibition itself is documented on the “mitBLAU” page.
MatriaSKAT in the workshop
On the product page, you’ll find the current price, availability, what’s included, shipping information, and all other details about purchasing. There, you can purchase MatriaSKAT directly from me, the artist.
