Chess

Marcel Duchamp, the artist, a talk by Jorge Aguadero, and Marcel Duchamp, the chess player, a talk by Miguel Illescas.

Marcel Duchamp declared: ‘While all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists.’ Such was the passion and respect that Duchamp showed toward chess throughout his life. There were long periods when the forward and backward movement of the pieces on the board became his foremost priority, decisively influencing his work, for better or for worse. It might seem that the analytical thinking of chess is incompatible with the type of art that Duchamp championed, however, the writer and chess player Jorge Aguadero will show us the many points of contact between chess and Duchamp’s work, beyond the cliché.

Did Duchamp penetrate the secrets of chess? Was he really a good player? The analysis of the Grand Master Miguel Illescas will give us clues about the true relationship of the French artist with chess, explaining his obsession with the game. One thing we can
surely say is that, Caissa, the jealous and demanding goddess of chess, would certainly be overwhelmed by the devotion of Duchamp, one of her most loyal followers.