Football may not seem like a natural subject for art, but over the years, contemporary artists have mined its fanatical fandom, legendary players and rich cultural streams to create memorable and highly dramatic works of contemporary art. Who could forget Douglas Gordon’s Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, a film that solely tracked the moments of the famous Real Madrid player? Zidane is also remembered for the most infamous headbutt in history, an event that’s almost certainly going to appear in Berlin-based Marianna Simnett’s new film, Winner.
If it sounds ludicrous and a bit pretentious, Simnett wouldn’t care a jot.
This multi-screen presentation reenacts football’s most impassioned incidents through the medium of contemporary dance. Timed with the upcoming 2024 European Football Championship, which is taking place in Germany this year, the film explores the drama of football to capture its unique sense of elation, tragedy and triumph. If it sounds ludicrous and a bit pretentious, Simnett wouldn’t care a jot, revelling in the glorious incompatibility of bringing ballet together with the world’s most laddish sport. The British-Croatian Simnett is a hugely exciting artist, who has the drive and energy to bring her idiosyncratic, multi-disciplinary visions to life.
What makes her so compelling is her unpredictability – there’s no way of knowing what this will be or how it will turn out. With the film loosely adapted from Graham Greene’s 1954 short story, The Destructors, expect metamorphosis, magical-realist transformations and a host of bizarre and beautiful characters. Even for those dreading the start of tournament on June the 14th, this early kick off might just be something worth queuing up for.
- Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstr. 50, Mitte, through Nov 3, details.
