Heading down to Trafalgar square to see Jaime Hayóns’ chess set installation, I found myself disappointed, I’d been too wrapped up preparing for the main weekend of the show, that the installation had packed away. Game over. There went my plan to rein-act the longest professional chess game in history, saved me 269 moves and 20 hours and 15 minutes.
The chess set itself is arguably the main public outreach of the festival, set in the heart of London and at the centre of the festival’s pre-show publicity. Its premature closure seems as short-sighted as the concept. Given that chess is a game that is pondered, considered and mused over, I failed to see how this installation, billed as a public interactive piece is really going to for fill its function beyond novelty, how many people could really play in a day?
Correct my if I am wrong but Trafalgar square, in the summer months, already features a chess set that can be played by the public, albeit of the plastic variety as opposed to the intricate ceramic stylings of Spaniard Heyon, and in 2007 an ice version took to the square as part of the Russian Winter Festival. That being said I do enjoy the inspiration for the piece, with the original idea coming from the military history of the square, making the tactical nature of chess contextually relevant, even if unoriginal.
In principle I think its great that the festival has a presence in the centre of the London, in such an accessible and public space, but I am really not sure that expensive, oversized gold leafed chess pieces send out the right message. Is design really just about decoration, is it about just adding some gold and making things exclusive, is it about big name celebrity. I hope not. It’s a hard call to make, choosing or briefing the installation that appeases the multiple facets of the festival, a decision I don’t envy making, so maybe that’s why London Design Festival director Ben Evans simply commissioned his next door neighbour Jaime Hayón. Cheque-mates.
Text: Ian Atkins