Football x Art... it's not a new concept. However, one London-based photographer has brought us something new, when it comes to showing off the splendour of football shirts. His name is Louis Bever, and his work is glorious.
No one, (to our knowledge at least) has reenacted the scenes from famous paintings, in a way that celebrates the football shirt in a way that Louis has. His work has captured the hearts of football fans across your usual social platforms. So, we just had to make contact with the photographer, to chat about his work and what inspires him.
CK: First thing first,... who do you support?
LB: Hello, I am an Arsenal supporter. My mum's side is Arsenal, and my Dad's is Manchester City. I received far more Arsenal shirts for Christmas, which helped me pick a team. I also grew up during 'The Invincibles' era, which was great.
CK: What's your earliest football memory?
LB: I've always been surrounded by football, but probably when I moved to Paris for the first time when I was six. I went to the British school there, and a French chap called Hugh asked if I wanted to play with the other French lads. Although Brits were in the school, I got on much better with the Frenchies.
CK: Tell us what you've been working on lately?
LB: Flat 92 has been a great project, but I want to stretch it out to more sports I played growing up. I'm slowly delving back into the world of Rugby and Tennis. So many aspects of both sports can be recreated in contemporary art.
I've also forced myself to travel more, so I'm heading to Rome and Paris to take pictures. It will be fun to see what catches my eye over there. Nothing is better than just getting a cheap hotel, walking around, taking pictures, and eating great food.
CK: How did the project come about?
LB: It was pretty simple. My mum loves art, and my Dad loves football. Both themes have been used in my work since I started taking pictures when I was 12. They've met over the last few years in this project.
It's a hugely selfish project, as it is probably a true reflection of my identity. I shoot it all in my flat because I can be socially lazy and dislike studios. I love football and art, so why not make a project out of them? It's one photo per scene, just myself and the subjects in the room. The process is slow as I shoot ten pictures and roll, and Radio 2 always plays in the background.
CK: What's been your standout piece/job/collab of 2023 so far?
LB: Oh lord, I have fun on all my commercial jobs. However, I did enjoy the FILA art campaign that I did. I met artists (Winnie Hall, Trackie McLeod and Daniel Freeman). We travelled all over, and I even tried Sushi for the first time in Glasgow (of all places). I enjoyed it as it was the closest thing to my personal work. The video that went along with each artist was smashing and complimented the stills.
CK: What other work is catching your eye at the moment?
LB: Surprisingly, I don't follow other photographers. My social media consists of food, sharks, art and football. However, artists growing on me are Chagall, Modigliani, Picasso and Schiele. Bizarrely, the more abstract a painting, the more I can play around with it, which is fun.
CK: What do you think your team's chances are this coming season?
LB: Oh lord, great question. The Premier League is hugely unpredictable with where we'll end up. I tend to have low expectations, so if something extraordinary happens, I'm pleasantly surprised. I will say Top 20, so I don't jinx anything.
CK: What's your standout footy shirt for the 23/24 season?
LB: It's either United Away or Arsenal's third kit. They're the two that wet my whistle. The Chelsea home shirt is slightly growing on me. Lyon Home is epic. It's controversial, but I also like the Juventus Home one. In my humble opinion, bring back collars on football shirts.
CK: What do you think of your team's shirts this year?
LB: The Third shirt is excellent.
CK: Can you tell us what you've got coming up – any exciting works we should look out for?
LB: This might surprise you, but they may be football-themed jobs-wise. On the other hand, I look forward to returning to the countries I grew up in and having a new environment to take pictures. I'll bankrupt myself buying as much film as possible for those two trips.
You can view Louis' photography and follow him here.
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