Photo: Julie Henry, from the series Going Down, 2000 © the artist
Cheering all the way, Carla Boreham grabbed her rattle and scarf and headed for York's Impressions Gallery.
Football and art. Not words you would normally use in the same sentence. But, to coincide with this summer's Euro 2004 football tournament, from May 1 to July 3, the Impressions Gallery in York is hosting an exhibition of contemporary art which contradicts the typically held attributes of football and its fans.
There are no direct references to violence, hooliganism or alcohol. Instead the artists have explored notions of cultural identity and nationalism, taking football and the fans out of their normal environment to illustrate the unique nature of 'the beautiful game'.
Curator Anne McNeil explains, "I selected four contemporary artists whose work draws on ideas, imagery and experiences of football today together with the specially conceived Meet the Mascots installation. This exhibit injects a healthy sense of disrespect towards the corporate mentality that has invaded the modern game."
Photo: Julian Germain, from the series Subbuteo Superheroes, 1999 © the artist
The similarities between football and religion are suggested through Julie Henry's photographs and accompanying song sheets. Football chants are presented as a kind of hymn and the striking images demonstrate the range of emotions experienced by spectators.
A trophy cabinet by Julian Germain displays a young boy's mission to repaint and remodel a team of Subbuteo footballers to transform them into Subbuteo Superheroes.
In another body of work the artist raises questions relating to celebrities and national stereotypes. Portraits of three famous footballers speculate what their jobs may have been if they had not become sports stars. Peter Schmeichel as a Danish pig farmer, Dennis Bergkamp is a cheese factory worker in Amsterdam and Ryan Giggs becomes a daffodil seller at the side of the road.
Photo: Ravi Deepres, from the series Patriots, 2002 © the artist
The subjects of patriotic and national, social and individual identity are examined in Ravi Deepres' Patriots. A video shows a Japanese crowd of fans walking towards the camera and is slowed to give the impression of a herd of animals.
It is a hypnotic piece which raises the issue of identity in relation to sponsorship and advertising - most of the Japanese fans are wearing English football shirts.
Marcus Coates takes a football supporter out of his usual habitat and films him chanting his collection of abusive football songs in a forest. The explicit language and gestures of the terraces is contrasted with that of the birdsong. By putting him in such an environment, he highlights the seemingly absurd ways all creatures attempt to maintain territorial dominance.
Photo: Marcus Coates, Still from Out of Season, 2000 © the artist
Devised by Anne, Meet the Mascots is dedicated as a photographic shrine to club mascots. These oversized creatures are viewed as the unsung heroes of the game and, along with the fans, they symbolise the passion that dominates football.
Only a Game? is a distinctive look at the depth football has reached in people's lives and examines the impact it has had on their behaviour. The exhibition will be enjoyed not only by fans but also those who believe that it is, in fact, only a game.
