Chess, Coffee, & Chocolate
Medium: Archival Pigment Canson Platine Print
Year: 2020
This photograph belongs to the series "Isolation Games." At the dawn of 2020, as universal freedoms were renegotiated and the world receded into quarantine, our lifestyles were consequently fraught with apprehension. The surreal stillness forced many inside, ultimately shifting routines and psychologies across the board. While passing the time at home during isolation, these photographs depict distraction and amusement in a newly-skewed world. The time was ripe for white Grecian marble and brass chess pieces. Prediction and strategy seemed apropos devices against an unapologetic new threat, a staunch reminder of reality's uncompromising potential. Morsels of dark bitter cocoa chased with bold espresso sustained endorphins for a sharp mind. This was no Queen's Gambit, but a viable solace in a novel world. It's as if each contemplated move contributed to the ultimate resolution, when in actuality I was merely passing the time. Christos is a 1st-gen Greek-American fine-artist whose photographs probe themes of socioeconomics, culture, history, and architecture. As strong symbolic sparks in a frenetic 21st-century, his creative intrigue is informed by identity, connection, nostalgia, and isolation.