Description
Man Ray’s chess set was designed in 1971 and is considered a landmark in Surrealist art. The set features abstract pieces that are inspired by objects in the natural world, and is considered a playful yet thought-provoking representation of the game of chess. Man Ray’s chess set continues to be widely recognized and respected by art collectors and enthusiasts. In this re-imaging of the original 1971 Precious Metal Chess Set in Galleria il Fauno, Turin, we translate Man Ray’s traditional chess pieces in geometric forms with the power of 3D printing.
This minimalist ManRay chess set requires a full sized board
Standard set:
Sized for a 12″x12″ board (1.5″ squares).
The king: 2.25″ tall, with a 1.125″ square base.
Medium set:
Sized for a 16″x16″ board (2″ squares).
The king: 3″ tall, with a 1.5″ square base.
Tournament set:
Sized for a 20″x20″ board (2.5″ squares).
The king: 3.75″ tall, with a 1.87″ square base.
Please note:
The set includes small screws and each piece has a chamber to add weight (sand, etc).
About the artist:
Born Emmanuel Radnitzky, Man Ray adopted his pseudonym in 1909 and would become one of the key figures of Dada and Surrealism. One of the few American artists associated with these movements, Ray was exposed to European avant-garde artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque at Alfred Stieglitz’s New York gallery and at the 1913 Armory Show. Ray’s photographic works are considered his most profound achievement, particularly his portraits, fashion photographs, and technical experiments with the medium, such as solarization and rayographs (an eponym for his photograms), which were celebrated by the Surrealists. “I do not photograph nature,” he once said. “I photograph my visions.” In 1915 he was introduced to Marcel Duchamp, who would become a lifelong friend and influence; he subsequently moved to Paris, practicing there for over 20 years.
shedemon –
Very nice, just as shown – came quickly. I had an idea to increase the weight of the pieces – so I used a drill and stuffed them with BBs, and glued it closed. Super quick and now they have a nice solid feel.
Savannah –
Very happy with these chess pieces. They have plenty of room to add weight, which is great. We’re going to leave them out on our chess table just as decoration since they look so cool.
Todd Flanagan –
Really fun set. Love the design. Got the version that could be weighted. Adding sand for weight and felt def worth while. Just used some adhesive felt from the craft store and cut to size.
jessie –
Really cool chess set. they come unweighted but they have holes and little screw in plugs so you can put sand in them and make them a little more solid. These are printed on a 3d printer from what i can tell which is pretty awesome to see. I love them. Would love to have them in marble.