Chess Documentation No: 2

Peter Hutchinson is known for his photography-based conceptual art in which he documents his interventions on landscape. The artist creates works composed of photographs, collages, and texts from which, when brought together, new narratives emerge. In his photo collages, Hutchinson includes handwritten notes and coloured illustrations, derived from his travels and observations. For his 1972 solo exhibition titled "Chess (Documentation of Games at the Gallery)" at Galerie René Block in Berlin, a table, two chairs and a chess set are brought together in play. Hutchinson plays chess once a day either with the visitors or with René Block throughout the exhibition, while the process is photographed with a polaroid camera and the moves of the players are recorded in an algebraic order. The photo-collages including a compilation of the photos, a list of the players’ chess moves, and the artist’s personal notes are framed and hung on the walls of the gallery for display. Hutchinson writes, “Played at opening night at René Block Gallery”, on "Chess Documentation No: 2"; and on "Chess Documentation No: 6", “A game played with Anthony from Alaska. We met yesterday at the zoo”.