Mat(e)rica

30 x 30 cm, 2022
Installation, chess board, 64 white queen pieces 

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The creation of this artwork spanned over two years, during which the artist gathered queen figures from various sources such as flea markets, cafes, and donations from individuals. The game of chess, with its vertical system of thought and action, calculated moves, and predetermined roles for each piece, represents the Western paradigm. However, the queen, paradoxically the strongest piece on the board, is often sacrificed for the sake of the king and victory over the opponent - a motif that has already been explored in modern art.

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With this piece, the artist delves deeper into this motif by creating a space on the chessboard that erases the very grid upon which the game is based. Rather than the traditional 64 squares, a red base symbolizing the "womb" of the world is created, upon which 64 individual queen figures are placed. This horizontal approach, based on being rather than doing, represents a shift away from the vertical system of the game, and toward a collective mind - something we are in desperate need of. The chessboard thus becomes a signifier of a paradigm shift, rather than merely a field for move making.