Chess
Chess is a recreation of a chess set originally made by Max Ernst (circa. 1945) and used by Marcelle Duchamp.
During a fictitious match between Marcelle Duchamp and Rrose Selavy (Duchamp’s alter ego), Duchamp, showed up early and calmly lit up a cigar. Selavy showed up and they started to play. “Does the cigar smoke bother you?” asks Duchamp. “No” replies Selavy, “I would like to smoke a cigar myself.”
Project Year
2001
Dimensions
3’ x 18” x 12”
Materials
wood, resin
Location
Vancouver, BC Canada
Project Status
Completed
During a fictitious match between Marcelle Duchamp and Rrose Selavy (Duchamp’s alter ego), Duchamp, showed up early and calmly lit up a cigar. Selavy showed up and they started to play. “Does the cigar smoke bother you?” asks Duchamp. “No” replies Selavy, “I would like to smoke a cigar myself.”
A photograph of the two artists playing chess with Ernst’s custom chess set was the inspiration for Chess. The artist used this photograph to replicate the board and the pieces. The Chess pieces were cast in resin, pigmented in gold and black.
“While not all artists are chess players, all
chess players are artists”
Marcel Duchamp
chess players are artists”
Marcel Duchamp
