Exhibition "Chess. The Art of the Game"

Vakulenko Art Consulting, in partnership with the Chess Federation of Ukraine, invites you to the exhibition "Chess. The Art of the Game."

Chess is one of the few games that has never been "just a game." Behind the sixteen pieces lies strategy and philosophy; behind every move is a decision that reflects a person's character. Across the board with black and white squares lies a metaphor for everything: confrontation and dialogue, calculation and intuition, logic and passion.

Ukrainian artists have approached the theme of chess, each with their own unique perspective. Some see tension and rivalry in the game—the moment before the strike, the frozen space between two decisions. Others see the beauty of the pieces themselves as objects filled with archetypal meanings: king and pawn, rook and knight, black and white. Others still see chess as a mirror of the human condition: who are you when you play? Are you playing at all, or are you being played?

Exhibition participants: Novan, Andriy Bludov, Vyacheslav Breish, David Burliuk, Mykhailo Vainshtein, Matviy Vaisberg, Yuriy Vakulenko, Anatoliy Varvarov, Alla Volobuieva, Mykhailo Hleizer, Maryna Hubareva, Yuriy Denysenkov, Yevhen Klymenko, Serhiy Kornievskyi, Ruslan Kutniak, Yevhen Leshchenko, Volodymyr Loboda, Anton Lohov, Volodymyr Padun, Eduard Potapenkov, Liudmyla Rashtanova, Oleksandr Roitburd, Bohdan Sokur, Oleh Suslenko, Liza Yashyna, Mykhailo Khimich, Vladyslav Shereshevskyi.

In the second room, you will find collectible and artisan chess sets from around the world—proof that a whole culture, era, and aesthetic can live within the shape of a single piece.

There will also be an educational and gaming program under the aegis of the Chess Federation of Ukraine: activities for children and adults, a charity tournament for the business community, and the opportunity to play right in the gallery. For those who already play, this offers a new context for a familiar game. For those who don't, it’s a perfect first step.