Scrimmage

From the close of the Civil War period to the present, prominent American artists have represented the quintessentially American sport of football and football culture. Significant painters, sculptors, photographers, and graphic designers have regularly depicted various aspects of this sport, reflecting not only its own history, but its broader themes - including heroism, sportsmanship, teamwork, manly virtues, and competition - that embody the history of our country. More recently,...
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From the close of the Civil War period to the present, prominent American artists have represented the quintessentially American sport of football and football culture. Significant painters, sculptors, photographers, and graphic designers have regularly depicted various aspects of this sport, reflecting not only its own history, but its broader themes - including heroism, sportsmanship, teamwork, manly virtues, and competition - that embody the history of our country. More recently, football's connection to long-term health impairment as well as its controversial role on our nation's campuses make it an important subject for our society today. Scrimmage critically explores how artists have pictured this all-American sport, and how these images give us a unique insight into American history and values. Among the earliest artists featured are Winslow Homer, George Bellows, Thomas Hart Benton, and Lewis Hine. Work by contemporary artists including Catherine Opie, Shaun Leonardo, William Wylie, Mark Newport, Diego Romero, Ernie Barnes, Monique Crine, Matthew Barney, Warrington Colescott, and The Gala Committee (which includes Mel Chin) addresses new interest and understanding of sport as a cultural phenomenon that can be examined through the visual arts.