Art in Chess and Chess in the Arts

Elke Rehder is a trained artist and active member of a number of international art and culture associations. She was born in 1953 in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1983 she had several single exhibitions in Germany and other European countries and also obtained four art awards for her work. Elke Rehder's art exhibitions show a wide range of different art work. Because of her extensive education she experimented with several different techniques. Here is a short explanation of the techniques used by Elke Rehder in her chess art:

A click on a picture will link you to further pictures in a larger size

	Installation Art Elke Rehder uses sculptural materials and other media to modify a particular space. Her art is not necessarily confined to gallery spaces. Elke Rehder has also made room installations in the castle of Reinbek, the Federal Academy of Cultural Education in Wolfenbüttel and the Federal Ministry for Economics in Bonn. more information
Chess Room Installation Art - Paper Art Hamburg

	Land Art Elke Rehder has made some installations in the North Sea, in the city of Cuxhaven and on the banks of the river Elbe. more information
Land Art Chess in the Mudflat of the North Sea

	Paper Art Objects Several paper art objects where created by Elke Rehder and also some on chess. A good example for this are the four different chessboards of handmade paper. more information
Chessboard - Handmade Paper Art Object

	Lithography The Lithography is a printing process in which Elke Rehder uses a stone with a completely smooth surface. Elke Rehder uses this technique not only to illustrate her artists' books, but also for her graphic prints, such as "Chess - The Opening" and "Chess - Three Pawns". more information
Chess Lithograph - The Opening

	Serigraphy This printmaking is also known as screen printing or silkscreen. Elke Rehder used this printing technique from 1990 to 1999 for her colourful large posters like "Blue Dancer Chess" or the chess prints "Knight takes Rook" more information
Chess Serigraph - Knight takes rook variant

	Sculptures Until 1995 Elke Rehder also worked with heavy materials like iron, steel, copper, marble and granite stone. Some of their heavy sculptures became part of their installations in the 90s. more information
Chess - The Knight - Sculpture by Elke Rehder

	Elke Rehder Artist's Books on Chess Since 1990 Elke Rehder creates various artist's books and book objects. A selection of her artist's books you'll find here on her homepage http://www.elke-rehder.de/Artist_Books.htm
Artists Books on Chess by Elke Rehder

	Mixed media on paper Watercolour is a medium which Elke Rehder sometimes uses in combination with pastel and charcoal drawing. This technique is often specified as "Mixed Media". Many of her chess paintings are made in this technique. Please move to the button Paintings in the navigation frame.
Chess Painting - Backward Pawn

	Oil and acrylic paintings For oil paintings, the artist uses pigment-rich colours and high-quality screens. Elke Rehder uses fast-drying acrylic paint for her large paintings, for example for the about 3 meters high chess painting "Pawns forward and never back." For more pictures please move to the button Oil Paintings in the navigation frame.
Chess Oil Painting - Pawns Threaten the King

	Woodcut Formerly known as Xylography - is a relief printing, a technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a wooden plate. Since the founding of the edition ELKE REHDER PRESSE in 1993 the artist uses letterpress printing and woodcuts for the illustration of her small press prints. For more pictures please move to the button Woodcuts in the navigation frame.
Chess Woodcut - The Chess Game

	Etching With a strong acid or a hard needle (drypoint, etching) a metal surface is processed. This intaglio method is the most important technology for Elke Rehder. For more pictures please move to the button Etchings in the navigation frame.
Chess Etching - Front of Pawns

	Pen and ink drawing Elke Rehder created many chess drawings mixed with watercolours. For further pictures please move to the button Drawings.
Chess Drawing - Two Pawns Fighting

	Charcoal drawing The charcoal drawings by Elke Rehder are mostly mixed with watercolours. More drawings you'll find under the button Charcoal Drawing in the navigation frame.
Chess Charcoal Drawing - The Fight III

The artistic works by Elke Rehder about chess

Chess has been a dominant subject in Elke Rehder's work for many years. The artist is fascinated by chess not only as a game but as a traditional fight in ritual form with all its strategy, tactics, hierarchy and symbols. If one thinks about these aspects of chess there are many different points of view. It is the outlook of an artist and not a chess players sportive view.

In her paintings and graphic work chessmen often appear. Once she observed an open air game of chess in a park with people standing on the chequered squares. That was the moment Elke Rehder obtained the impulse of looking behind what was happening. She compares the situation of the chessmen, their position on the chess board and their strategic action with our everyday life. Elke Rehder's chessmen become independent and play their own game.

The chess-players each side of the board are not the topic of her art. This explains her relation to the short story of Slawomir Mrozek about living chess. In his story the chessmen play their own game without the players. Like the figures in Elke Rehder's pictures do. So she made an artist's book about the story.

Since 1993 Elke Rehder is publishing artists books and small press books in limited edition. The books are illustrated with original etchings, woodcuts and lithographs. Her works are collected by numerous libraries and museums. Collectors of rare books from all over the world pursue their new publications with interest.


Chess painting - The queen in the thick of the action	Chess painting - Pawn Barrier

Her art on chess allows expression of what words and arguments often are unable to convey. With an inexhaustible palette of views and experiences she is able to stimulate not only chess players; she likes to emphasise what people generally will not recognize in a game. She turns our attention in new directions aside from habitual ways thereby looking at reality differently.

Art is not easy to describe with words, you have to look at. So if you do not want to wait until her next exhibition you now have the opportunity to view Elke Rehders paintings and graphic art on her specific websites in the World Wide Web.

Art in Chess and Chess in the Arts

Art in Chess and Chess in the Arts

Installation Art

Land Art

Paper Art Objects

Lithography

Serigraphy

Sculptures

Elke Rehder Artist's Books on Chess

Mixed media on paper

Oil and acrylic paintings

Woodcut

Etching

Pen and ink drawing

Charcoal drawing

The artistic works by Elke Rehder about chess