Adrian Mangel

Because of its impact in societies around the world, sports touch on subjects of nationalism and globalism, but most importantly, on the shared experience by spectators from different cultures. They provide a range of possibilities as a common conversation piece. We are taught that sports are an escape from reality, but they are actually a very clear way of understanding humanity and our individual nature. It is a performance that represents every aspect of the world in an extremely honest way, presenting a broad picture of humanity. Through the lens of sports, we see the world, and vice versa. All these concepts are inherent to the culture, but what do they mean? By visually representing ideas of memory, chants, and different notions of rules, I explore the relationship between football and spectators, and how we can rethink universality through them.By using imagery both from memory and from important sports publications or sources, the project takes on a very personal quality while also touching on the collective recollection of sports icons or settings. Sports have always been a part of my life, and I investigate how they affect people in very different contexts. It is an exhibition very similar to art, which brings on a humorous characteristic to the work. www.adrianmangel.com