This work, created by John de Jager Studio, unites the ancient game of noughts and crosses with the resilient materiality of serpentine stone, harvested from the Namibian-South African border.

Noughts and crosses, a game with origins in ancient Egypt and Rome, symbolizes strategic thought and the passage of time. Serpentine stone, renowned for its rich green hues and historical use in carvings and architecture, is both durable and associated with protection and transformation.

By engraving the game board into this stone, the work creates a dialogue between human playfulness and the timeless, protective qualities of nature, inviting reflection on how ancient practices and materials intersect across cultures and eras. The four stools are cut from Paarl Granite.