IV Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Luis Muñoz Rivera

This poster by Luis Alonso was created for the IV Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Luis Muñoz Rivera, held in Aguadilla in 1988. During the 1980s, Puerto Rico saw a surge of cultural and academic competitions, and chess events became part of the island’s intellectual identity. By invoking Luis Muñoz Rivera, one of Puerto Rico’s most influential political thinkers and advocates of autonomy, the event tied the strategic discipline of chess to national pride and intellectual heritage.

Alonso’s stylistic choice—a bold caricature of Muñoz Rivera, paired with an elegant row of chess pieces—reflects the era’s graphic trend of mixing political symbolism with playful illustration. The piece also showcases the printmaking experimentation happening under the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, where artists used posters as educational tools and cultural ambassadors. This poster captures a moment when Puerto Rico used arts and sports to foster unity and international exchange.