Nearly everyone has had a personal experience with sports, whether good or bad. Exploring how these experiences affect an individual’s psychology, the University art exhibition “I Like Winners: Sport & Selfhood” runs until Feb. 13 in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery.
The exhibition features 24 artists, each creating one to six pieces of artwork. Coming from all different career levels and across the country, the artists created video, photography, painting, sculpture, performing art and installation pieces.
Marjorie Vecchio, show curator and exhibition director, thinks this show can relate to everybody.
“I think sports deeply affect us all in lots of different ways and they affect our culture a lot and I want the individuals to reflect on that,” Vecchio said.
Taking on a topic much different than most shows she curates, Vecchio wanted to do a show she never thought she’d do. Even the reception looked different than past exhibitions, featuring a performance by Matthew Slaats and a race between 11 Reno runners.
“We’ve totally branched out into the audience in a really different way,” Vecchio said.
While many art exhibitions centered around sports focus on masculinity, “I Like Winners: Sport & Selfhood” takes a broader look at individuals in general. The exhibition looks at what it means to be a winner and how sports affect the athletes, fans and even the mere spectators.
Vecchio said that this is a much more optimistic show than the others she’s curated and there’s no way someone can leave the show in a bad mood.
“We’re in a recession,” she said. “Everyone I know looks half dead or depressed…we need a happy show now.”
Located in the Church Fine Arts building, the Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, or by appointment. For more information, go to .
