Giant Chess at Trafalgar Square

Celebrating the London Design Festival in typically bold and quirky style, the giant chess at Trafalgar Square installation is the creation of Spanish designer Jaime Hayon.

The Tournament
Titled The Tournament, the giant chess at Trafalgar Square arts installation is one of the highlights of the 2009 London Design Festival, which is taking place at venues acoss the City. The Design Museum, Somerset House, the V&A, Harrods, London College of Fashion and the Museum of London are all putting on a series of exhibitions, talks, and special events to celebrate the very best of design in all its forms throughout the festival.

London Design Festival 2009

Work of art
Featuring 32, two metre high ceramic chess pieces crafted by Hayon in partnership with Italian ceramic experts Bosa in Veneto, the giant chess at Trafalgar Square work of art celebrates the very best in high quality design and manuafacture. The pieces are hand painted by Hayon, and the huge chequered chess board is made from mosaic glass tiles created by another respected Italian firm, Bisazza.

The best of London
Although the giant chess at Trafalgar Square installation has been made by artisans from across Europe, the finished work references British history and the very best of London's iconic landmarks and architecture. The Tournament's placing in Trafalgar Square calls to mind the Battle of Trafalgar, which as organised almost as a chess game of naval strategy by Admiral Nelson and the British Navy, and some of the chess pieces themselves make reference to the domes and towers of the London skyline.

Play a game
Fancy a super sized game or two? Members of the public can apply to play a game with the big chess set, which sits between the two fountains in Trafalgar Square. Players can direct the chess pieces from chairs on elevated platforms in the afternoon, but if you're feeling a little bit rusty, you can also admire the game strategies of experts from the British Chess Foundation, who will be battling it out against each other in the morning. If you'd like to apply to play a game, click on the link below.

The Tournament Official Site

The Tournament, the giant chess at Trafalgar Square installation, runs from Saturday 19th September - Wednesday 23rd September 2009. Admission is free.

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