Media artist, Alexander Gelman, in collaboration with traditional Japanese artisans has designed an series of master chess sets made of lacquer, silver plating and gold leaf. The $55,000 sets took up to 10 months to produce by hand, using century old techniques. The set debuted in Tokyo and is currently in New York and will travel to Europe in early 2010.

In 2001 The Museum of Modern Art listed Alexander Gelman as one of the “world’s most famous modern and contemporary artists in all media.”

Gelman @ Design Machine