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Monday, May 5, 2014
How Chess Inspires Art, Culture, Music: Chess Hall of Fame Two New Exhibitions May 8
Hello Chess Blog friends, Here is more chess news about the Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis. Two new chess exhibitions will open at the Hall on May 8 which are meant "to bring life to the role of chess in art, music and culture."
The new exhibitions at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) will explore how chess inspires art, culture and music. Opening May 8, Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves and Cage and Kaino: Pieces and Performances offer WCHOF visitors a rare glimpse into the important yet often unknown influence the 1500-year old game of chess has on modern society. Exhibition highlights include:
Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves (May 8 – Sept. 28, 2014)
Design, function and fun come together in this interesting installment featuring work by renowned American architect and designer Michael Graves. Graves is known for combining modern style with a playful functionality in his buildings and the products he creates through collaborations with retailers like JCPenney and Target. His product lines, at once sophisticated and affordable, prove high-end doesn't necessarily mean high-priced. This philosophy now comes to life in Strategy by Design, which features the chess set Graves has called one of his favorite and most challenging projects. The exhibition also showcases the rare materials on loan from the Michael Graves Design Group that were used to design and create this chess set.
The show will also present a range of other games created by the Michael Graves Design Group–from classic standards such as card games, cribbage, and backgammon to more recent family favorites like Scrabble, Yahtzee, Monopoly, and Stratego. Video elements and an educational center will provide additional context for Graves' work and career.
"Just as Graves, through his work with Target and now JCPenney, has brought the Democratization of Design, the World Chess Hall of Fame has sought to expand the general public's awareness of chess and its many cultural interactions across the globe," said Bradley Bailey, guest curator for Strategy by Design: Games by Michael Graves. Bailey is associate professor of art history at Saint Louis University and co-author of the book, Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess.
Cage & Kaino: Pieces and Performances is an exhibition accompanied by rare live performances of the work of 20th-century composer John Cage and contemporary multimedia artist Glenn Kaino.
Cage and Kaino: Pieces and Performances (May 8 – Sept. 21, 2014)
Intelligence will ignite when the masterworks of two creative geniuses are presented together for the first time in this unique exhibition. Pieces and Performances showcases the work of John Cage and Glenn Kaino, two artists and inventors who used chess as inspiration for their globally-acclaimed work.
"Even though Cage and Kaino were born 60 years apart and never met, they produced incredible art that shares many commonalities. Together, they highlight how a game that is often a metaphor for war and battle can also be used to build relationships and community," said Larry List, guest curator for the exhibition.
The exhibition will include the electronic chess/musical composing board used by John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, and Alexina "Teeny" Duchamp to perform Cage's famous 1968 Reunion concert; Glenn Kaino's 80" x 80" piece called Learn to Win or You Will Take Losing for Granted, a life-sized chess set that includes pieces made of the artist's hands cast in bronze; and Kaino's One Hour Paintings depicting chess grandmasters.
"One of the highlights of this exhibition will be the performance art associated with it. Cage's Reunion will be performed at the beginning of the show on May 15 and Kaino's Burning Boards piece will provide a memorable event later in the exhibition's run," List said.
Reunion is a musical performance created by Cage that debuted in 1968 in Toronto, Canada. The single "instrument" in the concert is a chess board wired to play different selections of music according to individual squares. Music is spontaneously composed according to the moves that the players choose: the performance begins quietly as only a few pieces are in play, crescendos in the center of the game, and then slowly fades as more and more pieces are captured. One final note signifies checkmate.
Visitors can explore Strategy by Design and Pieces and Performances at the World Chess Hall of Fame located at 4652 Maryland Avenue (Saint. Louis, 63108). For more information, including exhibition hours, call (314) 367-WCHF or visit www.worldchesshof.org.
About the World Chess Hall of Fame 4652 Maryland Avenue, Saint Louis, MO, 63108 (314) 367-WCHF www.worldchesshof.org
The World Chess Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization committed to building awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on Sept. 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York and Miami.
The WCHOF is housed in an historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business and features the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame, displays of artifacts from the permanent collection, and temporary exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games, and rich cultural history of chess.
The WCHOF partners with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national, and international audiences. From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
Redesigning the Classic Chess Set: Exhibition in Los Angeles
Hello everyone,
Architects Give the Classic Chess Set a Radical Makeover
The design of the classic Staunton chess set is most often attributed not to an artist, but to an architect, Nathaniel Cook, who looked to Neoclassical London to find inspiration for his pieces. The Staunton set defined the game we know today. Recently, a group of young architects were challenged to redefine the game, invited by Los Angeles gallery and storefront Jai & Jai to create and exhibit their own chess sets. First spotted over at Architizer, some of these sets go beyond designing pieces to redesign the timeless battle between light and dark - and a couple deconstructed it completely.
“The World is Flat” by Laurel Consuelo Broughton, for example, transformed the 64-square board into a globe to create a dynamic, edgeless game to wouldn't look out of place on Star Trek. For “In Turn,” Maxi Spina used modeling software to extrude the classic silhouette of the Staunton piece, transforming the game board into a field of unrecognizable forms that look like alien crustaceans or musical instruments, while Andrew Kovac's "Castle" scales up a single piece, reimagining the rook as something from a monstrous wonderland, a complete world unto itself. The concepts range from the poetic to the playful, from industrial to abstract, but they all have distinctly architectural qualities, whether its the creation of new space, a focus on material and proportion, or the model-like craft of each set. While none of them are likely to replace the Staunton anytime soon, these sets show how modern design, with all its irony, formal innovation, and technological sophistication, can still be connected to the traditions of the past while proposing bold new visions for the future.
The exhibition CHESS runs until April 19 at Jai & Jai in Los Angeles.
In the game of chess, the queen is considered the most powerful and often the most unpredictable piece. She embodies tradition whilst simultaneously redefining rules established by a patriarchal system. This intriguing dichotomy is the inspiration behind A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess.
Produced by an international team of thought-leaders, curators, artists, fashion insiders, and chess players, the exhibition explores the various archetypes of the queen, as well as how storytelling and symbols capture the imagination of innovative fashion designers.
Extremely rare pieces from one of the world’s largest private collections of Alexander McQueen’s work join garments by Gianfranco Ferré, Gucci, Hussein Chalayan, Iris van Herpen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Martin Margiela, Viktor & Rolf and approximately 25 other European and Asian designers known for their daring, remarkable work. They range from established names to students still working in some of the most prestigious design schools in the world such as Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Central Saint Martins and Royal College of Arts in London.
A Queen Within investigates which archetypes can be seen to form the idea of a queen, or metaphorically a woman. The exhibition explores nine sides of a queen: The Sage, Mother Figure, Magician, Enchantress, Explorer, Ruler, Mother Earth, Heroine and Thespian.
The themes are based upon interpretations of some of Carl Jung’s most familiar archetypes. The story of each persona – its powers, its weaknesses, its significance, its sacrifice – is told through symbols, examples of fashion, photography, film and artwork.
“We have designed the exhibition itself to be a 3,200 square foot piece of art that viewers can experience on many different levels. They’ll be able to look closely for hidden symbols, stand back to appreciate the overall effect of enveloping visuals and reflect on each theme,” – Sofia Hedman, curator
To parallel the history of chess itself, symbols have been taken from royal representations existing in the fifteenth century onwards. In royal paintings, such as the Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I (c. 1600-1602), symbols including eyes, ears, serpents and wings were used to emphasise the queen’s presence. These same symbols, and many more, appear in the exhibition design as specially made sculptures.
Designer Serge Martynov, artist/wood carver Orlando Campbell and artist Karolina Kling were commissioned to contribute with the artwork and sculptures. The master of coiffure Charlie Le Mindu created bespoke wigs for the show.
After discovering Hieronymus Bosch’s Haywain triptych panel painting (1480-1500) on one of the Alexander McQueen dresses from the private collection, Flemish painters such as Bosch and Pieter Bruegel became the inspiration for the exhibition design and prosthetics.
Chess to Feature in Special Exhibition on Board Games in Doha from March 19
Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2014
Hello everyone,
The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), in Doha, Qatar, will open to the public an exhibition titled ‘Kings & Pawns: Board Games from India to Spain’ on March 19. The three-month show explores the origins of some of the world’s most loved board games, and their journey across the Islamic world between the seventh and 20th centuries (Photo: KINGS AND PAWNS: Partial chess set made of alabaster, Lapis lazuli and coral, probably between 10th and 11th centuries, from MIA collections will be among the exhibits.)
It showcases game pieces, boards, manuscripts and other historical objects associated with board games. In doing this, Kings & Pawns aims at sharing the history and significance of the games and the societies that created, adopted and adapted them. More than a mere pastime, games such as chess, backgammon, pachisi (ludo) and gyan chaupar (snakes and ladders) have created inter-cultural connections. Curated by William Greenwood, Curator for Central Islamic Lands at MIA, Kings & Pawns includes bold forms of carved rock crystal chess pieces, dice made of gold and diamonds to backgammon boards made of delicately inlaid wood and ivory, and more.
H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), said: “Each object is as remarkable for its historical significance as for its aesthetic appeal, and supports the MIA’s core value of exploring our shared past to illuminate our shared future.”
Objects representing an historical spread of more than a millennium and pieces from India to Spain will encourage visitors to look and consider the central role of board games in everyday life.
Beyond the historical and artistic focus, a further aim of Kings & Pawns is to allow people to rediscover the complex games of strategy and chance, inspiring them to look afresh at apparently old-fashioned pastimes in an era of electronic diversions. MIA Director Aisha Al Khater said: “Hopefully, the exhibition will encourage visitors to discover, or re-discover, the pleasure of these games — ancient and modern.” (Excerpted from a Peninsula report)
Unique Chess Exhibition at Chess Hall of Fame: A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess October 19, 2013 - April 18, 2014
Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013
Hello everyone,
A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess
October 19, 2013 - April 18, 2014
“This is an absolutely new take on fashion and fashion exhibitions.”
— Sofia Hedman, Curator, A Queen Within
In the game of chess, the queen is considered the most powerful, and often, the most unpredictable piece. A queen, both in chess and as an archetype, embodies tradition, yet possesses the creative freedom to redefine the rules established by a patriarchal system. In the fall of 2013, the World Chess Hall of Fame will present A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion and Chess, an exhibition exploring the archetypes of a queen. Works from radical and experimental designers will be used to highlight the queen archetypes in fashion and identify relationships with the cultural collective unconscious and traditions of storytelling.
Evolving from the weakest to the strongest piece, the queen wields exceptional power in chess. It is thought that this privileging of the queen on the board is an indication of her increasingly powerful status in medieval and early modern European society. In A Queen Within, Jungian archetypes and archetypal patterns in literature, film, fashion photography and folktales will be used to examine the relationships between power, risk-taking, as well as feminine roles in queen archetypes and the representations of those roles in the designers’ works.
Produced by an international team of thought-leaders, curators, fashion insiders, and chess players, the exhibition focuses on the how storytelling as well as the various archetypes of the queen have captured the imagination of innovative fashion designers.
Pick your tickets and find more information from the official website.
Tours For information about group tours of the exhibition, please contact Program Manager Claire Grothe at claire.grothe@worldchesshof.org or (314) 367-9243 x 105.
12th Women's World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess Blog for Latest Chess News and Trivia (c) 2013
Hi everyone,
Dress from Korean-born designer Rejina Pyo coming to the World Chess Hall of Fame exhibit, "A Queen Within."
For a game based on the strict caste system of feudalism, chess is surprisingly democratic. Though popular with the mathematically inclined, artists also have an affinity for chess. The chessboard manifests the art of strategy. There is a beauty to chess that even non-players appreciate.
That beauty will be central to the World Chess Hall of Fame’s upcoming exhibit showcasing an array of fashion by top internationally recognized designers.
The exhibition is titled, “A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes, Fashion & Chess.”
The exhibition will also involve a host of events and educational programs aimed at getting more women to play and benefit from chess.
Chessmaster Jennifer Shahade author of 'Play Like a Girl' and 'Chess Bitch' will participate in multiple events and workshops for girls and women during the exhibition.
"I really think learning chess is great for adults, but it can be like learning a language," Shahade said. "But adults can appreciate it on an aesthetic level. They tend to appreciate it on a majestic level. "Adults get more excited about how the pieces move. They have a better feel for how the pieces should harmonize and where to position the pieces than children do, especially people who appreciate art. It's like music, an appreciation for chess can really enrich their lives."
And though at first blush, fashion and chess seem disparate, the thesis of the exhibit will probably change your mind.
It’s not the first time the World Chess Hall of Fame has featured clothing on its exhibition floor, but this ambitious presentation seeks to rival the top-tier conceptual offering of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
And as if to put an exclamation mark on that statement, the World Chess Hall of Fame and a group of St. Louis supporters hosted a preview of the exhibition at Christie’s New York on June 4. It was attended by 400 guests, including a bevy of New York press who have been singing their praises about the novelty, creativity and aspirations of the exhibit being curated by Sofia Hedman, who helped catalog “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” the blockbuster exhibition at the Met in 2011.
The full exhibition of “A Queen Within” will open at the World Chess Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. Select pieces will later be auctioned off by Christie’s when the show closes next year.
The exhibit will revolve around nine queen archetypes based on Carl Jung’s theory: mother figure, heroine, magician, sage, enchantress, explorer, ruler, Mother Earth and orphan. The story of each persona will be told through examples of fashion, photography, film and art.
Not coincidentally, nine is the total number of queens that a player can technically possess at once if all eight pawns are elevated to queen status.
Another democratic and poetic element of chess is that a lowly pawn can be elevated to queen, which is considered the most powerful piece in the game. Despite reflecting a rigid social hierarchy of a royal caste, the queen is the most liberated chess piece. She can move and capture, traveling the length of the board in any direction.
“The queen gets to break the rules,” said Susan Barrett, the director of the World Chess Hall of Fame at one of the many presentations she’s been giving about the exhibition and its nearly sold-out gala.
Sure, the game is over when someone captures the king, but the queen is the heart of the game, Barret said. “She’s powerful. She’s fabulous.”
Those attributes are surely what many designers attempt to present when they subtly or explicitly use iconic queenly imagery within their work, or at least that's what “A Queen Within” explores.
Highlights of the exhibition will include an Alexander McQueen cocktail dress emblazoned with an image of muse and provocateur Isabella Blow; Hussein Chalayan’s iconic bubble dress from Spring 2007; Maison Martin Margiela’s Spring 2001 vest made entirely from baseball gloves; and Iris van Herpen’s snake dress from her Capriole Haute Couture collection.
Select works from famed photographer Anne Deniau’s recent book, "Love Looks Not With the Eyes," which contains more than 400 never-before-seen photos of Alexander McQueen shot during his working process and fashion shows, will be highlighted in conjunction with an exhibition at Phillip Slein Gallery.
“A Queen Within” plans to explores the relationship of power, risk-taking, and the queen’s inherent femininity.
So it was not without irony that the exhibition committee took note that despite the value and dominance of this prized female game piece, the ranks of female chess players are relatively few.
There are statistics that girls and boys start playing chess in equal numbers as young children, but something happens around the age of 11.
"We have started chess classes and lo and behold there's not one lady in that room," said Mary Beth McGivern, head of Metro East Montessori School. "It just boggled my mind. It sort of got me upset. It's a magnificent mind game, and I want them in there."
She suspected that some girls were intimidated.
Peggy Meyer, principal of Woerner Elementary in St. Louis, explained that they have had a chess program at the school for a few years, but it wasn't until they adopted single-gender classes that the girls started playing chess.
"They love it. I haven't heard one complaint," said Meyer. "Now I'm wondering if not having the boys in class really made that much of a difference. I never thought of it before."
But, Meyer said, "We do know that more girls are likely to step up into leadership roles when boys are out of the equation."
Meyer said that around fifth grade, the age of their chess program, "girls start to become young ladies and are a little bit more worried about their appearance and how girly they look. So it's kind of a challenge to get them interested in something like chess ... but if you pull boys out of the equation, it works."
Shahade who had the benefit of a chessmaster father said there's a Catch-22. The ranks of women playing chess is getting better, "but I think the deterrent is that more women don't already play."
"What's funny is that those who do (play) tend to dress very feminine. I do. Maybe it's because we are constantly surrounded by men and want to assert ourselves. It's interesting."
Why Chess is So Amazing! Special Exhibition for London Olympics 2012
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
To coincide with the London 2012 Olympics, Gallery Libby Sellers is currently holding an exhibition entitled Games. The show laterally interprets its title and the theme of 'play' by focusing on chess, other games and their accessories, with pieces designed by Rolf Sachs, Aberrant Architecture and Studio Frith, among others. Here is a chess video interview with Simon Hasan about his Slice chess set and Paul Kelley on his games table in an attempt to understand why chess is such a perennial source of entertainment. Libby Sellers herself takes us through the inspiration for the exhibition.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
We have news of a very interesting chess exhibition being held in Grandate, Italy (near Como, very close to the border with Switzerland). The exhibition is open till August 4 and includes chess exhibits including chess pieces, chess boards, chess photos, chess stamps, etc. You can check the official website: www.museodelcavallogiocattolo.it
This is a unique exhibit 'The Chess Game' by Italian artist Enrico Baj, 1988. Limited edition of 15 sets exist all over the world; Every sculpture on the chessboard is different, and therefore no pawn, knight or bishop is the same as another. The pieces are identified by the presence or absence of colored elements. The chessboard measures cm 272x272. Pieces average height cm 75.
The national Italian television (RAI tv) interviewing Rodolfo Pozzi, president of Chess Collectors Association Italy.
Special Chess Show - Karpov versus Seirawan in Saint Louis
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone, SAINT LOUIS, May 24, 2012 -- The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is going to host former World Champion GM Anatoly Karpov in a special match against four-time U.S. Champion GM Yasser Seirawan. The two will face off June 9-13 in a unique competition that will test their classical chess skills along with their abilities at both blitz and rapid play.
Tourney Format: Two Classical Games: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of a 30-second increment per move starting from move one
Each Classical game is worth three points. Two Rapid Games: 25 minutes plus a five-second increment Each Rapid game is worth two points. Ten Blitz Games: Five minutes plus a two-second increment Each Blitz game is worth one point. Prize Fund: 1st Place: $10,000 2nd Place: $7,000
The opening ceremony for the event will take place on June 9 at 6 p.m. Central and will feature a special book signing event for fans and spectators. Play begins on June 10 at 1 p.m. Central with the first round of classical chess. Visit www.saintlouischessclub.org/karpov-vs-seirawan for the full event schedule and more information.
The event will feature live commentary from GM Ben Finegold and WGM Jennifer Shahade. The Chess Club will be hosting a series of big events throughout the summer including the U.S. Junior Closed Championship, which will be held in Saint Louis July 10-16.
Chess Figures of the 20th Century - Special Exhibition in Moscow
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
Here is a nice article by Joy Neumeyer about a special exhibition on chess.
Until June 24 at the Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, 16 Ul. Ostozhenka, m. Kropotkinskaya, www.mamm-mdf.ru Open Tue.-Sun., noon-9 pm
It’s a chess-stravaganza at the Multimedia Art Museum, which is honoring this month’s World Chess Championship in Moscow with an exhibition devoted to the game. The exhibition features hundreds of photographs of Russian grandmasters such as Viktor Korchnoi, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov playing in major championships and friendly matches, accompanied by detailed commentary. Vintage match posters and chess sets are also on display, including 19th-century antiques and the first Soviet set, Gorod i Derevnya (“City and Town”).
Visitors can catch two chessthemed films. “Chess Fever,” a 1925 comedy by Vsevolod Pudovkin, follows a man whose love of chess causes him to miss his own wedding; it includes an appearance by chess legend Jose Raul Capablanca as himself. “Grandmaster,” a 1972 drama featuring Viktor Korchnoi, was removed from distribution after Korchnoi defected to the West.
The museum provides chess sets for those inspired to play a match. In June, grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik will face off against children for a mini-championship in the exhibition hall; check the website for the date and time.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
A special chess event lasting a full week has drawn much applause in Ukraine. The unique event 'Week of Chess Art' was held in Dnipropetrovsk Region of Ukraine from April 19-25. It included:
Chess tournament with more than 5000 players from the Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Russia, Belorus, and Israel.
Dnipropetrovsk native and Guinness World Record certified GM Alik Gershon's 80-board simul.
Chess exhibition 'Move by Move' devoted to history of chess in region at the local museum. It covered the history of chess activities in the region and biographies of famous chess players like Jose Raul Capablanca, Mikhail Botvinnik, and Mikhail Tal.
For the temporary exhibition in the Museum the Ukrainian Chess Federation provided the Hamilton-Russell Cup, which is the main prize of the World Chess Olympiad. It was made from the personal funds of the President of the British Chess Federation Federic Hamilton-Russell for the first World Chess Olympiad, held in 1927 in London. The Ukrainian chess team won the temporary Cup in the Chess Olympiad 2010 in Khanty-Mansiysk.
In 'Battle for Dnepr' children from Dnipropetrovsk art schools presented their work. A special catalogue of all the pieces was coordinated by Irina Filatova.
This special event was organised to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Dnipropetrovsk region and to develop the intellectual movement in the region. The simul lasted more than six hours. The grandmaster lost seven games and drew 17.
The governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Oleksandr Vilkul, praised the event and said it was important for the development of the region. On the invitation of the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Alexander Vilkul, and the Ukrainian Chess Federation, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov also visited the opening ceremony of the event at the Potemkin Palace.
Young artist Polina Usenko also presented her work 'Chess Maharajah' to Mr Ilyumzhinov. The work was created using an interesting technique of combining graphics, pastels and gouache on black paper.
Several other events were organised as well - international chess composition tournament at the National Center for Youth Aerospace Education, Internet competition for solving chess tasks among pupils of Dnipropetrovsk region, blitz tournament among veterans in Shevchenko Park etc., the traditional school team tournament 'Memorial of A.V. Sinitsyn'. For many years the event is financially supported by entrepreneur Andrey Filatov, a native of Dnipropetrovsk and the main sponsor of the World Chess Championship match between Vishwanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand to be held in Moscow in May 2012.
The children's tournament brought together teams from Russia (St. Petersburg, Orel), Belarus (Minsk, Gomel), and Ukraine (Donetsk, Lugansk, Poltava region, and 10 clubs from Dnipropetrovsk). The winners of the tournament became the team of Sports School - 9 (Dnipropetrovsk), the second place took the team from the School named by B. Spassky (St. Petersburg), the third place got the team from Lugansk. All winners, as an additional prize, would get an opportunity to attend the Anand-Gelfand match in Moscow. Selected TV-reports:
World Chess Hall of Fame presents Anatomy is Destiny by Liliya Lifánova, with choreography by Davy Bisaro
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hello everyone,
Liliya Lifánova’s Anatomy is Destiny was one of seven works featured in the exhibition OUT OF THE BOX: Artists Play Chess on display at the World Chess Hall of Fame from September 9, 2011 to February 12, 2012.
ST. LOUIS, MO.- The World Chess Hall of Fame presented Anatomy is Destiny by Liliya Lifánova, with choreography by Davy Bisaro and sound design by Sebastian Alvarez. The performance took place at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis on February 15, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. after a brief talk by Lifánova and OUT OF THE BOX: Artist Play Chess curator Bradley Bailey.
Liliya Lifánova’s Anatomy is Destiny was one of seven works featured in the exhibition OUT OF THE BOX: Artists Play Chess on display at the World Chess Hall of Fame from September 9, 2011 to February 12, 2012. Curated by Bradley Bailey, assistant professor of art history at Saint Louis University, OUT OF THE BOX: Artists Play Chess explored artworks that consider chess both at the formal level and at the level of actual play. Comprising a wide breadth of media, the selection of artworks by Tom Friedman, Barbara Kruger, Liliya Lifánova, Yoko Ono, Diana Thater, Gavin Turk, and Guido van der Werve demonstrate an integration of chess that goes beyond the visual, incorporating elements of play or strategy that invite the viewer to reflect on the game’s intricate operations.
Special chess exhibitions to conclude this weekend at World Chess Hall of Fame
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hi everyone,
This weekend is your last chance to check out some of the oldest and coolest chess sets in the world, according to this chess news release.
Two temporary exhibitions at the World Chess Hall of Fame in the Central West End are closing on Sunday. One of the exhibits features chess sets from the largest private chess collection in the world.
Visitors can also see the only two complete Faberge sets ever made. The other is called "out of the box, artists play chess." It features different artist interpretations of the game of chess. There's a $3 suggested donation per person and a $5 suggested donation for families.
Gregory Pashkov luxurious chess sets to take your breath away
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012
Hello everyone,
Once chess enters your life, there's no getting away from it! Such is the sweetness with which chess obsesses you. A similar thing happened to Elina Klimets who has written a lovely piece on the exhibition 'The World of Chess' by Gregory Pashkov. All we can say is the chess sets are just so luxurious and will take your breath away. The themes include Russian-Turkish war, carnival, etc. This is Pashkov's his first exhibition in 20 years! Enjoy. Read the full article in www.chess-news.ru.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
What a beautiful concept for a chess exhibition!
Titled 'Moving pieces' the special exhibition coincides with the Bilbao Chess Grand Slam Masters celebrations. The first leg is taking place in Sao Paulo but come October 6 and the event moves to Bilbao Spain. That's where - from October 6 to 11 - metro commuters can catch this exhibition. The display includes 12 large panels of 2.31 meters by 1.30 meters beginning from the metro station at Indautxu leading to Urquijo and Ercilla.
The exhibition covers the evolution of the tournament since 1999-when it was originally a modest competition organised by a group of chess enthusiasts until 2010, when it became definitely one of the chess events of year worldwide. The exhibition Club Deportivo de Bilbao E4 into the Grand Slam Final in 2008 and strengthen its further expansion and international franchise up to Shanghai in 2010.
In the 36 photographs that make up the exhibition portrayed are the chess match between Veselin Topalov and Judit Polgar, the historic battle between world champion Viswanathan Anand and the first player in the world rankings, Magnus Carlsen (duel that will occur again in this fourth edition), or the visit of legendary former world champion Anatoly Karpov and Boris Spassky and more.
Kasparov - Short exhibition chess match in Leuven likely
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
According to The Week in Chess, a very interesting event is round the corner. Mark Crowther writes that there are strong indications that Garry Kasparov is about to play another exhibition rapid match, this time against his former challenger Nigel Short. Now rumours, which seem to have a strong basis to them, suggest that a sponsor wants to hold the match in the Town Hall of Leuven, Belgium in October and that negotiations are under way. As likely as not it will be rapid chess, possibly with a blitz element too.
Founder of Option, hold a press conference announcing the launch of the Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe in Brussels 8th June. 11:30am-1pm, the event will be streamed live on the internet. The mission of the Foundation is to promote chess in schools, especially amongst children and young people (age 6 – 18), throughout Europe.
Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
For those of us who are crazy about chess, we want to see it everywhere - even in architecture. So here's a report on a nice exhibition all about chess in architecture in Lausanne.
When architecture plays chess
The Rolex Learning Center feature a very unusual game of chess! It will be host to the Chess Game, conceived by the artist Madelon Vriesendorp, whose chess-pieces are models of skyscrapers.
On a checkerboard, modern skyscrapers (black-and-white or geometric towers) and post-modern ones (colored towers of unusual shapes) are pitted against each other. Madelon Vriesendorp, with humor and a playful lack of inhibition, uses the scene of the game to represent the real-life combat between the various architectural schools of thought which have battled for supremacy since the nineteen-sixties.
Inherently mobile, these tower-sculptures are actually real chess-pieces. Positioned at the entrance to the Rolex Learning Center, the Chess Game is a relational work of art which you can touch (gently), handle (with care) and whose elements can be moved around (with discretion).
The Chess Game at the RLC is the result of cooperation between several partners. Proposed by the Lucy Mackintosh art gallery in Lausanne, which represents Madelon Vriesendorp, this concept was conceived for the Rotterdam Architecture Biennial in 2009 by the artist and Kees Christiaanse, a Dutch architect who has worked at OMA, and who today heads the Department of Urban Architecture and Design at ETHZ. The Chess Game was produced by Matthias Kohler and Fabio Gramazio of the Department of Architecture and Digital Manufacturing at ETHZ.
The exhibition takes place at the Rolex Learning Center between February 22 and March 28.
Famous artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin will be among the players when two chess-themed exhibitions open at The University of Queensland tomorrow, February 26. The Art of Chess, which features works by 15 of some of the most acclaimed international contemporary artists, was secured by UQ Art Museum in collaboration with Bendigo Art Gallery for an exclusive Australian tour. "The game of chess is traditionally perceived as a subdued, cerebral and introspective activity," curator Tansy Curtin said. "However, the creation of new artworks informed by the notion of the game of chess adds a new dimension to the game itself: chess acquires a new visual persona; beauty and drama alongside intrigue and threat become implicit aspects of the game." The exhibition incorporates innovative and curious chess sets commissioned from artists including Maurizio Cattelan (Italy), Jake and Dinos Chapman (UK), Oliver Clegg (UK), Tracey Emin (UK), Tom Friedman (USA), Paul Fryer (UK), Damien Hirst (UK), Barbara Kruger (USA), Yayoi Kusama (Japan), Paul McCarthy (USA), Alastair Mackie (UK), Matthew Ronay (USA), Tunga (Brazil), Gavin Turk (UK) and Rachel Whiteread (UK). Facing off against this stellar line-up is Your Move: Australian artists play chess. Inspired by The Art of Chess, Bendigo Art Gallery commissioned 13 Australian artists to produce 12 works, commissioned as part of the largest grant ever awarded by Visions of Australia. Artists featured in Your Move include Benjamin Armstrong, Lionel Bawden, Sebastian Di Mauro, Michael Doolan, Emily Floyd, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, Robert Jacks, Danie Mellor, Kate Rohde, Caroline Rothwell, Sally Smart and Ken Yonetani. Players in the away team include extraordinary spotted fungal sculptures by Yayoi Kusama; a finely crafted set of glass and silver pill bottles with surgical trolley chessboard by Damien Hirst; and a good versus evil set by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan that pits Hitler, Rasputin and Al Capone against Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa and Superman. Players in Your Move include human-animal hybrids, literary characters and beer bottles and coasters set up to play on a rickety Australian picnic table. “You don't have to play chess or know its history to enjoy the strategies played out by the artists in this exhibition – and, indeed, not all the commissioned artists themselves are chess players,” Acting Director of the UQ Art Museum Michele Helmrich said. “But, as the legendary artist and chess player Marcel Duchamp said: ‘while all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists'.” A diverse program of public events will include opportunities to watch members of the UQ Chess Club do battle and even challenge them to a game.
The Art of Chess Your Move: Australian artists play chess appear at UQ Art Museum until April 24.
Opening week Public Programs
Saturday 26 February 11.00am – curator floor talk by Tansy Curtin of Bendigo Art Gallery 12.00pm – artist talks by Michael Doolan, Caroline Rothwell, local artist Sebastian Di Mauro 2.00 – 4.00pm – a giant chess game outside the Art Museum with members of the UQ Chess Club Monday 28 February – Friday 4 March 10.00am – 3.00pm – members of the UQ Chess Club do battle in the Art Museum. Visitors may watch or challenge a member of the club to a game. The Art of Chess is organised by the UQ Art Museum in association with RS&A, London.
Your Move: Australian artists play chess, a Bendigo Art Gallery travelling exhibition, is sponsored by Visions of Australia, an Australian Government program supporting touring exhibitions by providing funding assistance to the development and touring of Australian cultural material across Australia; City of Greater Bendigo; K.W. Doggett Fine Paper (supporting Lionel Bawden's work); and International Art Services.
Chess blog for latest news and trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hi everyone,
Marcel Dzama's exhibit titled 'Behind Every Curtain' is anchored by the artist’s film, 'A Game of Chess', which features elaborately costumes characters dancing and fighting across a giant chessboard. The exhibition opened today in Manhattan.
Dzama's film was produced in Guadalajara, Mexico and relays the artists influence of local crafts and religious traditions, not just through the film but also the related sculpture, dioramas and drawings that accompany it. Here is the nice video.
Interesting exhibition on chess set to open in St Louis
Chess News & Chess Trivia Blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010
Hello Everyone,
Even if you're not in this part of the world to attend this event, you will surely love reading about it.
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis has got together with the multicultural center of Belas Artes in Soulard to host 'Chess: A Cross-Cultural Journey Through Time, an interactive exhibit on the history and artistry of chess'.
The exhibit highlights how chess originated in India and then evolved as the game spread to different places. The show includes examples of different countries' interpretations of chess and a large-scale map that illustrates the landmark events of chess over the years as well as a detailed list of world champions and their origins.
A gala reception will be held on the opening night on October 7 with performances by dancers and members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The exhibit remains up through Friday, November 19, and the gallery is open Tuesday through Friday. Admission is free after opening night.
If you happen to attend it do send us your comments and we hope to get you some photographs too.
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Best chess wishes to you! Alexandra Kosteniuk
12th Women's World Chess Champion
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