" I think art just allows for storytelling and football game has so many dramatic moments – there are so many cryptic connections made in football between the players and the fans . "
This Saturday, football fans across the world will be flocking to London for one of the biggest sporting events of the year: The UEFA Champions League final.
For thousands , the final is a windup of a longer journeying – for month , consecrated fan have been locomote to away games across Europe , in the hopes that their team will bring home that precious trophy .
To mark this iconic event , Expedia has collaborated with Kelly Anna , a London - base artist and clothes designer , to make a special art installation that fans can visit in London ’s Trafalgar Square . Kelly Anna , who captures the beauty of movement with striking silhouette , has curated a unique sensory experience that showcases the city of the Champions League and celebrates all the best parts of the beautiful biz .
BuzzFeed UK sat down with Kelly Anna to find out all about the project, her creative process, and how her lifelong love of sports has shaped her artwork.
You ’ve got a sports background yourself – have you always incorporate it into your artwork or is that something that number later?Kelly Anna : I grow up doing sport , I did everything from gymnastics and swim to karate . It was in my puerility , and my dada ’s an creative person , so it just naturally made its way . It ’s decidedly where a lot of my inspiration come from . How did you first get demand with the UEFA Champions League final project for Expedia?So they just reached out to me ! And when they did , I kind of had a minuscule jump for delight , because I was in reality so excited . But yeah , they reached out , and I was 100 % up for it . It feel like the complete couple there .
What is the biggest brainchild for this project?I’ve always savour capturing that movement . So being able to learn the games , learn football , and learn how the players interact with each other . It ’s kind of capturing their energy and get that down . And then also , really dig into depicting all of these different cities throughout Europe . It was that was in reality really exciting – ambitious , but really exciting .
So how did you focus on the different cities?So I actually concentrate on the essence of each city and looking at unlike kinds of watershed and different shapes , because I apply a mickle of form in my body of work , and fancy what unlike things I could pull out from each city . But each part of the whole thing kind of come together – it all experience the same , but every metropolis feels unlike and unique .
Do you think fans that are come to the installation will be able-bodied to know their city or piddling bits of their culture that they resonate with?I do hope so . They ’ll in spades be able-bodied to narrate their city , which I think is really skillful . You know , they ’re going to be in London , but they ’ll also see a part of their city in London as well , which I think is really exciting and really nice .
People do n’t automatically associate football with artistry , why do you think it ’s so crucial for art and sport to make out together like this?I think art just allows for storytelling and football has so many dramatic moments – there are so many deep connections that are made in football game between the histrion and the fans . And I also think there ’s a lot of fine art in mutation and football anyway – from the stadium ’s architecture and the football game kits and the banner and the football game . There ’s so much design that goes into it , which is why I love it . I grew up really savour football memorabilia as well . So yeah , I really enjoy that tie-in between between football game and fine art .
What part of the installation are you most excited for fans to see?I think I ’m most activated for them to come into the larger - shell slice in the Fanzone . It ’s gon na be really big , and they ’ll be capable to just walk in and almost be plunge in the whole journey . And that ’s kind of how we did it , you do it , you walk in , and you’re able to really see that journeying that we take to get to London , which is on the final wall .
The facility is up in Trafalgar Square . How does it finger to see your designs and graphics come to life in such an iconic attraction?It ’s really exciting . To be able to see my body of work in Trafalgar Square alone is just incredible . And I hope that it can inspire some new child who might not recollect that that ’s even a possible action this actually could happen .
So away from that , what other message or feelings do you hope that fan will take away from the entire installation?I hope that they take away the feeling of excitement and delight , and just that kind of connectivity – I hope it really brings people together . And I just really want people to kind of walk off feel joyful and excited about the variation , in the way that it brings everyone together .
The induction unquestionably reflects the multi - sensory experience that football game is . So who are some of your favourite creative person and designers who have act upon and inspired you?I’ve got so many . Gosh , could n’t see Fernard Leger , Joan Mitchell , Wladimir Burliuk , Matisse , and Kandinsky . They ’re all so dissimilar . But I feel like when you put them all together , you kind of see my stirring and can get that referencing .
An creative person is always creating – how do you appease motivated?I always say the best fashion is just by moving – whether that ’s physically or metaphorically , I often go running or swimming , or I do weight training or anything to keep my consistence moving . Because especially being in the art creation , it can be incredibly militant . So mentally , being able-bodied to stay on top that path is really , really helpful . But also , metaphorically ; constantly trying to move my work onward . Whether that ’s through explore unlike medium and practising young techniques and fashion , but be active onward .
That ’s a really good tip . Has collaborating with Expedia Live and the UEFA Champions League charm your linear perspective on arts and sports in general?With the squad that I ’ve worked with , I ’ve realised that , particularly in football , there ’s a material standard that needs to be go on there . I feel like I really , really push myself in this project in every aspect of it . There was a standard for me to continue , and it made me work severely , but in the good way . And the team manage and wanted the best outcome of this . They wanted it to become a really especial piece , and they allowed me to be creative and get my vision across , which I really appreciated .
Can you tell us about any other undertaking you have follow up?There are quite a few thing , but I do n’t eff if I ’m allowed to say them ! But there ’s band coming up this twelvemonth , and quite a bit in sport , as well as food . So yeah , quite exciting !
