Barrio Escalante, San José

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Caballito de Ajedréz, by Marcia Salas. A chessboard takes on organic volume and breaks into a gallop, suspended in a stride that denies the ground.

Marcia Salas

Caballito de Ajedréz

Year
2010
Technique
Acrylic/Canvas
Dimensions
50 × 60 cm
Status
Available
Palette
blackish brown, terracotta, golden ochre, burnt sienna, bone white
Brushwork
Translucent layers and glazes with suspended splatters, restrained impasto in the squares, and fine-brush calligraphy.

Curatorial analysis

A chessboard takes on organic volume and breaks into a gallop, suspended in a stride that denies the ground. The central figure subverts the tactical stillness of the game piece: its body widens into a vibrant grid of luminous yellows and deep dark tones, modulated as though the fabric of wood or cloth were breathing. Upon its undulating back, functioning as a silent rider or a remnant of its original form, rests a small equestrian bust in austere profile, itself covered in a miniature geometric weave. This dual presence establishes a tension between the static figurine and the fleeing beast, confronting the calculation of the rule with the overflow of movement.

The pictorial space fractures into two atmospheres that coexist without gentle transitions. On the left side, an earthy night prevails, an almost mineral density of browns and blacks where a solitary crescent moon floats amidst constellations of ochre splatters. To the right, a rectangular plane of burnt sienna and terracotta breaks in, raised like a folded sheet or screen that intercepts the horse's passage. Across this warm background, a fluid and personal calligraphy unfolds, verses speaking of sand, still muscles, and morning thirst. The word does not operate here as a caption, but as superimposed visual matter, a poetic echo sharing the surface with the gallop.

That friction between checkerboard rigor and the spontaneity of the dripping gives the surface a singular rhythm. The central squares enclose small concentric quadrangles in reddish tones that accentuate the belly's depth, while the slender legs, tipped with white hooves and stylized curves, float weightless against the darkness. The scene resolves at that crossroads where the game's enigma turns into an oneiric territory, governed by night and written memory.

Caballito de Ajedréz

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