Isabelle Fu
Chessboard
Prompt: Students will design and create a 3D object or artifact reflecting their connection to a community or expressing an aspect of their identity, beliefs, or personality. The object can be a sculpture, a functional tool, or a body extension (such as an accessory, garment, or prosthesis). The aim is for the object to visually express feelings of belonging or connection to a particular community, whether chosen or inherent. How does this object represent what connects us to others? How do we develop a sense of community through our interactions? In what ways can this object symbolize our sense of belonging to a specific community?
For this project, I chose to base my design on the community built from the Union Square chess hustlers, which connects my childhood hobby of chess and my realizations from living in New York City now as a student. I challenged myself to create a multifunctional, portable, and convenient chess set. I went through many different ideas for the construction of the board and the design of the pieces, and I decided on a simplified card design for the pieces for easy storage and safekeeping. I experimented with several types of hinges before the final, and this allowed me to conceal the hinge as much as possible from the outside. Overall, I aimed for a clean and seamless look but encountered more challenges than I had anticipated for, which caused many obstacles before I was satisfied with the final. To create the chessboard, I laser cut all of the chess pieces, instructions, and layers of the outer board before glueing and clamping them together. I used the bandsaw to cut the side pieces of the box, which I glued and clamped as well. Once everything was dried, I sanded it down to remove any potential splinters and installed the hardware. Finally, I treated the wood with oil for a better finish. I hope that viewers can imagine the small communities being built with each new game of chess between the owner of the box and their opponent.