Hungry Chess Set | Ian Trask

Hungry Chess Set
Ian Trask
Repurposed Silverware Set Pieces
Magnetized Plexiglass Board
with Silkscreened Medieval Illustration Details

I am a scientist-turned-artist who received a degree in Biology from Bowdoin College in 2005. Following graduation I worked as a genetics lab research technician, but eventually I left the world of science to pursue a career in fine art. While transitioning away from lab work I got a job as a hospital groundskeeper cleaning up trash daily, an experience that proved to be formative to my artistic development. I saw potential in the waste stream and quickly began using discarded manufactured goods as the main platform for my work. Through my art practice I reflect upon societal attitudes towards material things and the destructive impact those attitudes have on our communities and our environment.

The pieces in my “Hungry Chess Set” are throwbacks to my early infatuation with bending used silverware. Then drawing from my experience as a picture framer/metal fabricator, I created a custom board from off-cuts of plexi-glass, silk-screened black enamel squares, and found illustrations of medieval scenes. To increase the playability of the set, I embedded 64 rare earth magnets to stabilize the pieces and give it a truly satisfying tactile experience.

This item is ineligible to be shipped due to its size.  Please enter code “pickitupplease” at checkout to pick this item up in-store.  Otherwise, please contact Maine Craft Portland for inquiries before purchase.

This piece is currently at Maine Craft Portland as part of The Craft Maker’s Gambit Exhibition.