Photo og text Hege Vadstein and Paul Brady
In one of London’s most fashionable shopping areas, you risk choking on your Guerlain KissKiss Gold And Diamonds lipstick or dripping sweat onto your Hermès loafers, because amidst the snobbery it has popped up an honest, revealing, and precise exhibition about the sad aspects of football which we don’t like to talk about – at least not during the European Championship.
During our visit at the Museum of Neoliberalism, Darren Cullen mentioned other projects and exhibitions he is involved in – including the group exhibition ‘Shut up and stick to football,’ which will was shown at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation from June 14 to July 14 this year.
As explained on the gallery’s website, the title refers to an episode that occurred in June 2021. The English men’s national team was booed by fans for taking a knee before a match – a gesture meant to show solidarity against racism following the murder of George Floyd. The consensus among many right-wing politicians and commentators was that football players should ‘shut up and stick to football,’ thereby asserting that sport and politics should not mix.
From the FA’s ban on women’s football in the 1920s to World Cups hosted by oppressive governments, the Hillsborough tragedy, modern-day corruption within football institutions, and states’ use of sportswashing – football and politics have always been inextricably linked throughout history. As the European Championship was held in Germany this year, the exhibition’s ‘team’ of 11 contemporary artists was given the opportunity to present their reflections and comments on the connections between football and politics. Highly recommended!
PS: Although England may not score the highest on the freedom of expression scale, there are quite a few other countries – even in Europe – that would have censored several of the works displayed at the exhibition (shut up and stick to art).
«Forbidden Play»
by Emmely Elgersma
In 1921, the FA banned women’s football, citing health concerns rooted in gender bias, after its popularity increased following World War I. The spiked football sculpture criticizes this absurd ban and symbolizes societal attitudes and the FA’s control. It celebrates women’s resilience and highlights our ongoing efforts for equality in sports.
«Who Do You Support? Half-and-Half Scarves Are for Wankers!»
by Wankers Of The World
The artist has tackled the phenomenon of split scarves sold to tourists outside football stadiums and replaced the teams with contrasting parties in the so-called “culture war.” The artwork symbolizes the entrenched positions and the lack of willingness to find middleground in contentious societal issues. As the artist notes: “Today, people are more likely toswitch football teams than to admit weaknesses in their own ideology.”
«Untitled»
by Dominic Allan
The banner was created after one of English football’s most popular teams joined the European Super League (ESL) in April 2021. Despite opposition from the majority of fans, the decision stood. The banner, expressing the fans’ stance against the ESL plans, was hung at Luton Town’s home ground, Kenilworth Road.
«This is Not a Memoir – West Ham»
by Jannette Parris
The drawing expresses the artist’s perspective from growing up as a devoted West Ham fan, living just a kilometer from the club’s former Upton Park area. As one of the few black female supporters present at matches, she found the presence of far-right expressions during those game days frightening. While many lament the lost atmosphere of the old stadium, the artist, still an avid Hammers fan, welcomes the club’s move through her work.Her piece reflects on the progressiveness that can come with such changes in communities.
«Still Dreaming, Euro 2021 Olympic Way Wembley»
by Ed Grey
The idea for Gray’s work originally consisted of painting people at Wembley on the day of the Euro 2021 final. Before starting the work, Gray was worried about spending months creating a painting about a match that England might lose. While he was drawing the fans, he realized that it was their experience he wanted to depict.
The painting captures a sense of optimism, post-lockdown liberation frenzy, and rebellion among the crowd. Despite William Blake’s “Albion Rising” being on Gray’s mind, this painting – unlike Blake’s hopeful vision fora new England – depicts a dreamy and stagnant nation clinging to nostalgia and myths.
«The Charge» og «A Century of Industrial Violence»
by Jamie Holman
The police horses in Holman’s painting “The Charge” are a recurring motif in his works.
Holman depicts crowds on foot being confronted by officers on horseback. The authority uniform – helmets, shields, batons, and horses – has hardly changed since 1066. Holman identifies this expression of power as a central element in tapestry, marking the beginning of an unbroken chronology that still manifests itself at every Saturday festivity across England.
The audio work “A Century of Industrial Violence,” narrated by the English actor Christopher Eccleston, recounts a relentless history of uprisings from the formation of the Labour Party in 1900 to the anti-capitalist protests in 2000 and the anxiety over the “millennium bug.” This period also marked what Holman considers an “identity crisis” in the working class as the industry collapsed, leaving entire areas desolate.
«Football Net I»
by Dion Kitson
This deconstructed Nike football sculpture takes the form of a flattened multifaceted figure. Transforming the spherical football into a flat net renders it useless. The carved canvas combines ancient Greek victory symbolism with Nike’s modern branding, playing on an Archimedean mathematical basis as a commercial sports object. The work criticizes the commercialization within sports and contrasts classical ideals of human achievement with modern victory as a product to be sold. It depicts the ancient perception of the spherical ball’s mathematical principles left in ruins by market forces.
«Qatar 2022 Football Stickers»
by Darren Cullen
Ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, Darren Cullen printed up 6,500 football stickers featuring “dead workers,” with facts about Qatar’s treatment of construction workers. These stickers were smuggled into hundreds of Panini football sticker packs, which were then placed back on supermarket shelves.
«Occupation»
by Darren Cullen
This work addresses the struggle of Palestinian football through the lens of the table football game Subbuteo. Palestinian players on crutches, in wheelchairs, and arrested in handcuffs attempt to continue playing against an opposing team of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. The IDF soldiers oversee the enclosed field and the construction of Israeli settlements on the playing field itself. 50% of all proceeds from the sale of this work go to Taawon, a charity that helps young Palestinians reach their full potential in education, culture, and sports.
«Sports wash»
by Foka Wolf
Foka Wolf’s 3D advertisement sculpture is designed as a detergent box titled “Sports Wash.” Using visual and linguistic advertising expressions, the work satirizes how major sporting events are used to conceal human rights abuses, corruption, and unethical practices by host nations or sponsors through sportswashing
«Chewbacca Cry», «Gutted» og «Lads»
by Conor Rogers
“Chewbacca Cry” depicts Rogers’ childhood friend “Danny” covered with a St. George’s cross during the last European Championship final where England lost to Italy. At a young age, “Danny” became addicted to gambling on football accumulator bets. For Rogers, this image represents aspects of football culture – noisy hooliganism, patriotism, addiction, and betting closely intertwined.
“Gutted” is an early painting that addresses themes of grief and gambling addiction. Rogers aimed to use humor to explore the serious issue of gambling addiction in football culture. The word “gutted,” used by manager Chris Wilder after a loss, highlights the feeling of devastation not only in the game but also for those who lose their bets and feel stripped of what has been taken from them.
“Lads” is another painting about betting and football culture seen from the perspective of celebrity know-it-alls and small talk. The playful rivalry between Micah Richards and Roy Keane exemplifies the humor that can underscore serious issues within the culture. Rogers considers this wordplay a source for capturing the undercurrents surrounding gambling addiction.
«Newcastle Blood Ale»
by Wankers Of The World
During the 1988/89 season, fans brought giant inflatable figures into English football stadiums. Amid widespread hooliganism, this type of prank was seen as harmless fun and reflected the impulsive nature of fan culture before the game’s mass commercialization took over. The artist has addressed the controversial Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle United through a modern interpretation of the aforementioned type of inflatable figures.
«Live Sports Here»
by Foka Wolf
Foka Wolf also employs advertising language here, creating a parodic work for pub toilets that satirizes the Saudi regime’s controversial involvement and investments in sports teams and events. Through disturbing images depicting beheaded players, the satirical work highlights the human rights violations committed by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia remains the only country that carries out public beheadings, executing 196 people in 2022.
«One World»
by Mark Wallinger
Inspired by the famous Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides of World War I emerged from the trenches and met in No Man’s Land to exchange gifts and play football, the artist uses a football as his canvas to create an image of lasting beauty depicting a peaceful planet floating in space.
«100 Years of Play»
by Wankers of the World
This large window painting created with snow spray provides a snapshot of how corruption, politics, and football have intertwined over the past 100 years. The work mimics murals and large posters of football heroes that are put up across the country during major tournaments. The concept is inspired by the renowned snow spray artist Tom Baker.
