In accordance with the World Chess Hall of Fame’s mission to promote the artistic and cultural significance of chess, Chess Inspires… highlights the convergence of chess and the creative energies of artists and designers inspired by the game’s diverse applications.
Chess and creativity have shared a close relationship virtually since the invention of the game. Believed to have originated in India over 1500 years ago, chess set design and the game’s complexity and cultural significance have afforded artists and craftsmen with seemingly endless opportunities for interpretation and expression since its inception. Within the standardized arrangement of 32 pieces on the grid of the game board, creative thinkers have found innumerable ways to challenge expectations with innovative approaches, transforming this timeless and universal game into something novel and even unconventional.
Chess Inspires… is presented in conjunction with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. As an educational organization, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is dedicated to increasing the awareness of the educational value of chess through formal instruction and community outreach.