[up]arte nº4 Playing Black

Client: [up]arte editorial group

[up]arte is an editorial project started in 1995 by the Students Association of the School of Fine Arts Porto University. This magazine was edited the year 1996 and after in 1998.

Me, along with 7 other students of this school, decided to revitalize this project. We sub divided the project in Mangas de Colete publications and the [up]arte magazine.

In a chess game, we get the sensation that we are facing a symmetrical game. However the black pieces are evidently at a disadvantage because the white pieces have half a strike of advantage since they always start the game. In practical terms, a search for equalizing chess means to find moves which aim to fight for the boards' centre, using counterattacks through the side rows or searching dynamic situations which allow ways of counterattacking. "Playing Black" reminds us of the Avant-Garde movements and the attitude that comes with it. It suggests the notion of paradigm in contemporaneity. So, what we invited the contributors to do, was to find the relation between art and playing black in chess.