World Chess Hall of Fame Debuts Two Groundbreaking Exhibitions May 8

World Chess Hall of Fame Debuts Two Groundbreaking Exhibitions May 8

New installments bring to life the role of chess in art, music and culture

ST. LOUIS, May 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) today announced the upcoming debut of two new exhibitions that will explore how chess inspires art, culture and music. Opening May 8, Strategy by Design: Gamesby 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 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.

SOURCE World Chess Hall of Fame

World Chess Hall of Fame

CONTACT: Amanda Cook, 314-598-0544, Amanda@amandacookpr.com; or Courtney Suthoff, 314-982-1776, Courtney.suthoff@flieshman.com

Web Site: http://www.worldchesshof.org


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