Chess Painting No. 71 (Marcel Duchamp vs. E.H. Smith Hyeres, 1928), gesso on linen with oak frame

Tom Hackney employs geometric precision on both two-dimensional and three-dimensional surfaces, creating works that seem to jump off the walls – sometimes literally. The relatively subdued colour choices that are favored by the artist seem to add to the sharpness of his lines.

4096 Hours of Daylight, oil on aluminum panel

In his most recent work, Hackney has been creating paintings that are based on the chess games of Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp collaborated with master chess player Vitaly Halberstadt to write a book on the subject in 1932. Drawing from this book, Hackney uses a kind of visual code to paint the positions and movements of chess pieces throughout the game, ending with a single static image.

I’m really fascinated with the way Hackney incorporates this mathematical system of coding into his works, and even more so with the idea of deciphering it. The coded nature of the art reminds of of the work of Amarie Bergman. Hackney’s black and white paintings mimic the look of classic chess boards and pieces, while his more colourful works directly reference a colour-coded set that Duchamp created. 

Chess Painting No. 61 (Duchamp vs. Hanauer, New York, 1952), Gesso and acrylic on linen, walnut frame