Artists expose football’s soft underbelly

Keystone

Integration, injuries and greed are just some of the controversial subjects tackled by a Zurich art exhibition timed to coincide with Euro 2008.

The intriguingly entitled “Balls and Brains” collection pulls together a broad range of works from several artists that raise questions about football’s global fascination.

While other exhibitions springing up around the European championships focus on the stars and glamour, Balls and Brains does not pull any punches about the sport.

It draws parallels between the mass appeal and euphoria of football and religion, features the trials of an African football club in Zurich and offers thought-provoking opinions on such subjects as homosexuality in football.

“We wanted to look behind the scenes to highlight parts of football that are not normally talked about,” co-curator Daniel Binggeli told swissinfo.

“Lots of football exhibitions follow the same style, but we believe the game affects people in many different ways and is not just about big events like Euro 2008.”

Visitors are greeted with a seismograph image of an earth tremor in southern Italy created by fans celebrating their country’s winning goal in the 2006 World Cup.

An indoor pitch, surrounded by religious imagery, will host a series of games involving school groups, mentally disabled players, members of the Tibetan national football team and a “match” involving just three priests. Winners will ascend to a pulpit to receive trophies.

The pitch will double as a stage for theatrical events and podium discussions during the tournament, which takes place in Switzerland and Austria from June 7-29.

Worship

The religious theme is continued with a film showing voodoo rituals before football matches in Brazil and an image of the infamous “Hand of God” goal scored by Argentine star Diego Maradona against England in the 1986 World Cup.

Further exhibits chronicle injuries that some players have suffered. These include x-rays of former Swiss striker Léonard Thurre’s leg injury that forced him to miss Euro 2004.

The theme of integration of foreigners into Swiss teams also reflects an ongoing debate in the country about immigration. An interview with Shi Jun, the first Chinese footballer to play in Switzerland, explains the difficulties he has had in settling down since his arrival in 2005.

The African Football Club Zurich is also featured in this section, examining the rise and struggles of Switzerland’s first all-African side.

Of course no examination of football’s underbelly would be complete without highlighting the vast amounts of money the sport attracts – and some of the villains attracted to the limelight and loot.

Bernard Tapie, the flamboyant former French politician and chairman of Marseille football club, heads a rogues gallery detailing his convictions for match fixing, corruption and tax fraud.

Balls and Brains, financed by Zurich’s city authorities, is one of a handful of art exhibitions in Switzerland during Euro 2008.

swissinfo, Matthew Allen in Zurich

Balls and Brains

The Balls and Brains exhibitions will run in Zurich’s Helmhaus until July 13.

It features works from various artists, including British artist Robert Davies, Italian-born Gianni Motti and Swiss photographers Mathias Braschler and Monika Fischer, who portray images of the world’s best-known stars taken moments after the final whistle.

Football fans are also invited to watch Euro 2008 matches on a big screen in the Helmhaus entrance foyer.

Screenings will be preceded and followed by musical performances by local Zurich bands and DJs.

Euro 2008

Switzerland will co-host the Euro 2008 football tournament together with Austria from June 7-29.

The 31 games will be played in four cities in Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich) and four cities in Austria (Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna).

Up to 5.4 million football fans are expected to follow the tournament in Switzerland, including 1.4 million from abroad.