June 6 to July 18, 2026

Sports bring societies together, allowing safe competition against others—rather than violence—and contributing to a sense of community. Local and national loyalties are expressed through sport, with tribalism serving as an important social undercurrent in its cultural significance. Athletes are universal across societies, and their physical exertion and skill are celebrated.

Philosophical questions about the meaning of sport have existed since Ancient Greece. These discussions have continued throughout human history, addressing the social virtues embedded in sporting activity, the aesthetics of performance and display, and the logic of rules and ethics in sport. The mind/body dilemma is embodied in athletic performance, while strategy and tactics are discussed daily by both philosophers and laypeople around the globe.

In earlier modern periods, artists rarely addressed sports as a theme, as it was often seen as vulgar or plebeian, reflecting elitist biases within cultural classes. This has since changed, with artists increasingly recognizing sport’s importance—as lived experience, as a reflection of community, and as a metaphor for struggle, politics, and overcoming.

Sports and athletes can serve as powerful metaphors for broader cultural conversations. They celebrate individual and collective identity while reflecting society through personal, political, cultural, and sexual narratives. Artistic depictions of sports often mirror social change and examine themes of religion, nationalism, media, and celebrity culture.

Culturally, athletes are still often seen as idealized bodies—the peak of physical and mental performance, the “best of the best,” the most dedicated. We project their successes onto our own identities—“my” team, “we” won. For team sports, we adopt team colors, songs, and histories as our own. Energy, passion, and emotional investment are central to the fan’s experience—the highs of victory and the lows of defeat.

These artists explore many ways of looking at and thinking about the various sports they engage with and the idea of champions within them. They invite you to enter the game and play…..

GAME ON!!!

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Bhakti Baxter, Chris Beas, Cato, Brandon J. Donahue-Shipp, Generic Art Solutions, Tabitha Jussa, Mie Olise Kjærgaard, Christine Sun Kim, David Leapman, Haim Levac, Nica Moura, Joshua Nazario Lugo, Phillip Okonma, Julian Pace, Atilio Pernisco, Cheryl Pope, Robin Rhode, Hank Willis Thomas, Mike Vegas, Wendy White