Check Mate & other things.

When I think of chess I think of old men sitting in the park or something symbolic in Alice in Wonderland. I know nothing about the game & the rules confuse me ever so slightly. But seeing The Art of Chess that recently finished at the Bendigo Art Gallery gave me a different perspective; One on gender.

Walking into the first part of the exhibit, it showed larger scaled chess sets made from all sorts of different mediums; Fiberglass, tables with beers & coasters plus the large pile of paper with graphite and rubber chess pieces (which was one of my favorites).

The other room is where I found the gender theme come into mind. Several variations of chess made from the idea of kitchens and the home. How women are to work at home doing chores and making food in the kitchen. However seeing chess pieces using male reproductive parts represent male domination in the world, how chess is a man’s game.

One of my favorites I came across was in a cabinet and was more feminine. It was a stitched draw string bag and the chess set was small and cute. Another one was on an old crate box and the pieces were all different, little doll house furniture. The house and home activities also show through both sets.

Another part of the exhibition was a film, which I wasn’t too sure about it. I also couldn’t get away from the screen of this weirdly dressed man moving chess pieces around by himself, with a monotonous ticking on a loop. To be honest I felt quiet confused by it.

Although I don’t understand the rules or concept of Chess this exhibition was fun, interesting and quiet thought provoking

^ Modern Chess Set by Rachel Whiteread.

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After venturing to the The Art of Chess I also visited other gallery's and exhibitions in the Art Precinct in Bendigo. The La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre is showing Oculi: Terra Australis Incognita which is a photographic display by 10 individuals with their perspective of "the unknown south land" showing it isn't so sterotypycal. This is on show until the 13th February.

While this is showing some more modern and contemporary work The Post Office Gallery is showing something more old. Naming Bendigo; evolution of a city's identity 1836-1891 is on until the 14th March and displays artifacts from goldrush tools too old newspapers. It shows a timeline from the beginning through to the final naming of Bendigo. I found it rather interesting.

And lastly Dudley House is home to Moving On {Black Saturday Commemorative Exhibition and Community Project} which is showing also until the 13th February. Works of poems, paintings showing hope and love after the devestation that the artists and families had gone through.

There are some new exhibitions that I have to venture too during the next too weeks which I shall blog about.