Sport

Although art and physical education were considered completely opposing subjects at school, they have actually proven to be a perfect match in the art world. Sport in art has been depicted many times throughout history, and is particularly prominent in contemporary art.

In antiquity, the Greeks worshipped the youthful and athletic body, paintingthe events of the first Olympic Games on pottery in 776 BC.

Whatever the medium (photography, painting, sculpture, collage, etc.), their anatomy, their psychological state, where they train or even their competitions; athletes are a never-ending source of inspiration for artists. Developing technology and the ability to travel have made the study of sports more accessible to amateurs everywhere. Whether represented in a realistic or symbolic way, sport is a recurrent theme for young artists. Join us at Artsper as we enter sport mode and unveil our very own Olympic podium of artworks.

Photography is probably the first medium we think of when we think about the artistic representation of sport. This is for technical reasons, as speed is needed to capture athletes at the height of their game. Snapshots of athletes are taken on the spot to better capture an accurate portrayal of not only their movements, but also the rising tension between opposite team members.

Leader of the new wave, Gerry Cranham made a career out of athletics before becoming a coach himself. A passionate photographer, he took photos of the young athletes he trained in order to rectify their techniques, and analyse their running approach. After becoming a professional sports photographer at the age of 28, he quickly established a reputation, spearheading sport photography not only in England but also internationally. His photographs of rugby, football, tennis, wrestling and swimming, were printed worldwide in prestigious magazines such as Sports Illustrated and The Observer.

Sport also inspired painters throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, which can be seen in Gustave Courbet's 1853 painting, The Wrestlers. This large format oil painting depicts two men engaged in 'French wrestling', in the former hippodrome on the Champs-Élysées. To the right of the painting there is a grandstand filled with spectators who are cheering on the athletes. Even Claude Monet explored the theme of sport with his 1872 work Regattas at Argenteuil, where sailboats leave mesmerising reflections on the water's surface. Meanwhile modern artist Nicolas de Staël, depicts an abstract football match with his work Footballers, where players can only be made out from the use of flat tints of colour that determine their team.

Like Gerry Cranham, you can also find your calling through contemporary sport painting, sculpture and photography. Discover the works by both established and emerging artists like Victor Spahn, Isabelle Picarel, Michel Birot, Makiko Furuichi and others...