The FLAG Art Foundation Punches Through the Art History of Boxing in Latest Exhibition
From vintage films to depictions of Muhammad Ali and more.
The exhibition “Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing,” co-presented by The FLAG Art Foundation and The Church, explores the depiction of boxing in art throughout history, focusing on its physicality, psychology, and spectacle. The exhibitions, developed and curated independently, showcase a diverse collection of over 100 artworks spanning different time periods, including historical, modern, and contemporary pieces, as well as newly commissioned works and boxing-related memorabilia. The aim is to highlight the broad cultural impact of boxing. The exhibition will juxtapose iconic images from the 19th and 20th centuries with contemporary and commissioned artworks.
Notable works at the FLAG exhibition include early films such as “The Boxing Cats (Prof. Welton’s)” from 1894, a humorous short silent film featuring trained boxing cats from Henry Welton’s cat circus, and “Gordon Sisters boxing” from 1901, both produced by Thomas Edison. Other featured works include Eadweard Muybridge’s frame-by-frame cinematic portraits of boxers from the 19th century, Jeffrey Gibson’s beaded punching bags inspired by Native American powwow dancers, Curran Hatleberg’s photographs capturing street scenes of childhood boxing pageantry in the American South, and Vincent Valdez’s paintings that portray the legacy and influence of Muhammad Ali, as seen through the eyes of various prominent mourners speaking at his funeral.
The artworks encompass various mediums, including painting, sculpture, drawing, video, and text, and offer a range of perspectives on the attributes associated with boxers as athletes and warriors. They also explore the themes of bravado, brutality, suffering, and vulnerability associated with the sport. Artists featured in the exhibition include John Ahearn, Benny Andrews, Alvin Armstrong, George Bellows, Amoako Boafo, Andrea Bowers, Katherine Bradford, Amy Bravo, Rosalyn Drexler, Chase Hall, Thomas Hoepker, Dana Hoey, Edward Hopper, Kresiah Mukwazhi, Christian Marclay, Wardell Milan, Paul Pfeiffer, Cheryl Pope, Elliot Purse, Caleb Hahne Quintana, Ed Ruscha, Malick Sidibe, Carrie Mae Weems, and Yvonne Wells.
“Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing” is on view through August 11. Head to the FLAG Art Foundation’s website for more information.
The FLAG Art Foundation
545 W 25th St #9
New York, NY 10001
