CHESS
Contemporary Chessmen by International Metalsmiths
15th November - 4th January

Direct from the Velvet da Vinci Gallery in San Francisco U.S.A over 80 international applied artists take on the design of chess pieces. People have been creating chess pieces for over 100 years including the famous Viking Lewis chessmen in the British Museum up to the modern Bart Simpson family. The design of the playing pieces has an amazingly rich history. The game has been played in ancient Europe, Russia, India, Southeast Asia and China. There is evidence too that the game was known in Wales as it is mentioned in The Mabinogion, the Welsh pre-Christian mythology.

This velvet da Vinci exhibition will present pieces by individual artists that will be combined to create complete chess sets. There will be approximately 80 artists from 10 different countries making pieces

Chess Symposium

Why did over 80 contemporary makers create their interpretations of CHESS pieces for this international exhibition, on show at the Gallery? Come and find out.

One day symposium exploring 'metals and materials' and the fascinating history of the game.

Presentations by
Dr Irvine Finkel, British Museum
Curators of the exhibition, Velvet da Vinci Gallery, San Francisco
Contemporary Metalsmiths and makers including -
Lucy Casson
Mathew Tomalin
Malcolm Appleby
Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Goring, National Museum of Scotland

Saturday 15th November 2003
11 a.m. - 4 pm

Fee: £20, students £15
(includes a light buffet and tea and coffee)

For further details and to reserve a place please contact :-
Ruthin Craft Centre, Denbighshire, North Wales. Tel: 01824 704774