Match of the Matriarchs by Donna Dodson

Discover a larger-than-life chess experience in Donna Dodson’s Match of the Matriarchs at the Museum for Art in Wood. The interactive installation features 32 life-size, movable chess pieces hand-carved from salvaged wood and inspired by female archetypes and marine beings, including mermaids, whales, and octopuses. Through these sculptures, Dodson reimagines chess as a celebration of matriarchal power, ecological connections, and wisdom across generations. The exhibition also features wood chess sets by other artists and video works by Philadelphia-based chess champion and historian Jen Shahade exploring women’s visibility in chess culture.