Sveti Stefan – Preparations for the Fischer–Spassky Match of Peace, September 1992

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Whenever I photograph an event, I prefer to arrive well before the official start—sometimes hours in advance, sometimes days earlier—and to stay long enough to document what remains after the main moment has passed.
For the historic chess match between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, held in September 1992, I arrived on Sveti Stefan two days early. I photographed everything leading up to the event: staff preparations, the arrival of the players, and the construction of the stage. This allowed me time to acclimatize, carefully check my equipment, and observe the atmosphere surrounding the event.
At the time, I was working closely with the French photo agency Gamma Presse Images, whose editors regularly supported my proposed assignments and shared production costs. They expected—and received—images that differed from standard event coverage.
This photograph was taken during the setup phase. In the foreground, workers are placing oversized chess pieces on a giant board, while in the background balloons and a large banner announce The World Chess Championship – Match of Peace. The image captures a surreal moment of spectacle and symbolism, staged in a region marked by political tension and recent conflict.