A celebration of the persistence of figurative painting, feminism, and women’s victories on and off the sporting field

This body of work ponders sports’ ability to empower female athletes in a traditionally masculine space. Relating feminism to sport, and sports images to art history, I created a series of oil paintings to challenge patriarchal ties and notions of greatness associated with classical works of greats such as Michelangelo or Botticelli.

In reframing the reference images through cropping or collaging, I shift the attention to hands and gestures to create an ambiguous yet referential reading. This also allows me to negotiate concepts of monumentality and the male gaze.

Following a tradition of figuration, my paintings could be considered a contemporary take on classical Renaissance methods, while aesthetically finding inspiration in the classical antiquity.

Fast-forward, from the ancient Greeks to the Matilda’s success and the upcoming 2024 Olympic games in Paris, my project aims to contribute to an ongoing feminist discourse in depicting contemporary sporting scenes where women excel and placing them into an art historical context to level the playing field. Letting the present seep into the past in honour of the women who devoted themselves to egalitarianism and today’s role models who encourage young girls to follow their dreams.