Building a Stadium of Modern Art

A series of sporting photographs from the studio and from the field evolved into this photo feature which attempts to string together sports and art. The forms and emotions captured in these photographs were strikingly similar to those seen in famous works of art. These similarities form the centerpiece of this feature.

Much like life, sport imitates these paintings. The primary links used to tie sports with these paintings are the object and human forms explored in these paintings. These are forms which athletes often assume during play. When the images are manipulated, the athletes inhabit the paintings with ease. Artful depictions of everyday scenes and settings, the paintings prove to be perfect playgrounds for these athletes.

With their forms and shapes as the focus, these photographs have been juxtaposed with renowned paintings from different periods. Achieving these juxtapositions by manipulating the photographs and paintings, the feature distances itself from photography and ventures into the territory of “post-photography”. Photographs no longer remain a window to reality. Rather, they integrate with the imagination of various artists to create new meanings.

Once allegiance to truth is shattered, the photographer achieves the flexibility to explore new possibilities of image-making. The focus shifts to creative and innovative representations of reality by providing novel contexts. It is especially interesting to isolate sporting moments from their original contexts and create new meanings.

The first set of photographs remain very similar to the original works of art yet create completely new meanings. While the compositions are retained, the subjects inhabiting them are replaced.

Photographer Joan Fontcuberta’s seminal post-photographic manifesto would describe this as the redefined role of the artist to prescribe meaning and recontextualise images to synthesise new dialogue.

Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich

Is that a cane? Is that a bat?

Son of Man by René Magritte

A cricket ball replacing an apple? More like Son of Bradman.

The Scream by Edvard Munch

The second set of photographs introduce new subjects and activity to existing paintings. The three photographs capture moments in the field during play, as opposed to manufactured studio shots. Teleported to new worlds, the athletes give new meanings to their sports, including a scramble for the stars.

Discobolus by Myron with Monet's Water Lillies as backgroound

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Master Bedroom by Andrew Wyeth

 The third and final set of photographs treats studio photographs as the setting and introduces smaller elements from paintings into these new contexts. The first three photographs focus on the spherical form of a ball. The final two photographs take greater liberty in their manipulation, taking advantage of the inter-play in form and perspective between the photographs and the paintings.

The Art of Living by René Magritte

Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh

Man in a Bowler Hat by René Magritte

Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali

 Parth Jhunjhunwala is a final-year student at the Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi-NCR, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in economics. In addition to still photography, he is fascinated by motion pictures, editing and visual storytelling in general. This visual project has emerged out of a course on photographic image taught by Sreedeep Bhattacharya.