Sport of Kings N°4
I created this collection after being asked to exhibit and paint live at a the Ascona Polo Cup in Switzerland. I discovered the sport through the paintings and it has been a great new adventure to capture the energy and teamwork of man and beast.
Completely naive to the world of polo, I approached the subject same as always: what moves me? And the photo on which this painting is based did just that—where does the animal end and the man begin? They are a perfect symbiosis of shared strength, determination and dexterity. Where the sinews and muscles of the one end, those of the other begin. For me, and for the lovers of the sport as I understand it, this melding of man and animal into one moving, singular entity is the absolute pinnacle goal of this sport.
The paintings themselves are a tribute of teamwork, not of man and beast but of spray paint wildness and oil paint finesse. Touches of neon spray paint exude these pieces with extra dynamic, vibrance and a textural background; the oils provide detail, structure and richness of color and depth.
The color palette exudes heat and sunshine, echoeing the good time feeling of the Côte d’Azur.