St. Louis University Museum of Art presents: Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master
By Joan DuBois   
March 16, 2009

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    March 16, 2009
    Contact:
    Mary C. Marshall
    Marketing Coordinator
    University Museums & Galleries
    314.977.2666


MAY 6 — AUGUST 16, 2009


SAINT LOUIS — The Saint Louis University Museum of Art is pleased to present Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master. The exhibition will open with a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6. Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master coincides with the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship which will be held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (www.saintlouischessclub.org/) May 7 through May 17, 2009.

Considered by many to be the most influential artist of the twentieth century, Marcel Duchamp shocked the art world when he appeared to have abandoned his career as an artist in 1923 to pursue a career as a professional chess player. Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master is the first exhibition dedicated entirely to the artist’s lifelong passion for the game and the vital role that it played in his art. Chess also played a fundamental role in his relationships with many of his famous contemporaries, including Man Ray, Max Ernst, and Salvador Dalí.

Artworks by these and other artists associated with the Dada and Surrealist movements in Europe and the United States are included in this exhibition.

Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master is sponsored by RKL Consulting and Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.


ABOUT THE 2009 U.S. CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP:

Two dozen of the nation's best chess players will be invited to participate in the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship, which will be held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The tournament, which dates back to 1845, will take place from May 7 through 17, 2009 and will offer a purse of more than $130,000 in prize money.

For more information, please visit www.saintlouischessclub.org or call 314-361-CHESS.

WHAT:    Marcel Duchamp: Chess Master
    Sponsored by RKL Consulting and
    The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

WHEN:    Opening reception:
    Wednesday, May 6, 2009; 5:30 p.m.
    Exhibition continues through Sunday, August 16, 2009

WHERE:    The Saint Louis University Museum of Art
    3663 Lindell Blvd.
    St. Louis, MO  63108
    http://sluma.slu.edu

CONTACT:Mary C. Marshall
    Marketing Coordinator
    314.977.2666