SCHACH UND KUNST (CHESS AND ART) POSTER

This fascinating screen print advertises a 1991 exhibition titled Schach und Kunst (Chess and Science) at the Galerie R. Zorzycki in Dormund, Germany. Three chess pieces – the king (middle), the queen (left) and a rook/knight (right) - stand facing each other on a chess board in what could be described as a battlefield confrontation. The expressions of the queen and the knight, as seen in their eyes, are fierce and threatening. The king's expression (again, in the eyes) is one of surprise, as the queen, who is holding a knife, has stabbed the king, and red blood is running down his black robe.  It turns out, as many know, that chess is a blood sport.

This macabre scene, perhaps intended to strip the genteel, wonkish veneer from chess matches and pose deeper questions about the nature of the game, no doubt drew in many viewers to the exhibition it advertises. It illustrates how powerful design elements, as seen here in this riveting work, can make the difference between a good exhibition poster and a great exhibition poster. This one is great and is worth adding to your collection, especially if you are a chess player. 

Jan Lenica (1928-2001) was a renowned Polish-born illustrator, graphic designer, cartoonist and animator who worked and taught in France and Germany during most of his career.

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