Chess is a game of the mind. But not when that mind is shut down. The board is ready for the first move. Yet the opponent is missing and the player is sleeping! To make this incongruity work, we must be sure that this man is actually a chess player. I had no way of knowing. I couldn’t ask him. So I made this photograph and allow my viewers to decide. It is also entirely possible that this man may live in the park, and was simply asked by serious chess players to hold the board for them while they went to lunch. And this is how he holds it? If such are the facts, then we still have an incongruous image here. One does not usually lay claim to a chess board while sound asleep.
UPDATE:
More than a year after I made this image, I received an email that provides profound and fascinating additional context. Read the following words and look at the image again. It becomes even more incongruous, and its meaning changes as well. Here is the message in its entirety:
"Hello, Mr Douglis:
That man on your picture which was taken in Washington Square Park is a real chess player.He is a Russian national master and chess teacher. Current status-homeless. He is known for his strong, professional game style with ELO rating around 2200.That's why he dosn't have so many opponents at his table.Most of the players just don't want to play chess with him, because it feels like playing deep fritz. Your photo shows that his eyes are shut, but his mind is on ''stand by'' mode, ready to go at any moment.
I hope that information will be helpful for your gallery data.
Sincerelly,
Zbig Kuczek"