Sport and Spectator

On view June 12 through December 6, 2026

sculpture of a leg and foot kicking a soccer ball

Hank Willis Thomas, Perseverance, 2017. Fiberglass with chameleon auto paint finish. Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. © Hank Willis Thomas

Sport and Spectator celebrates the dynamic intersection of the visual arts and sports culture, presenting an array of works that transform sports imagery and equipment such as basketballs, helmets, and jerseys into artworks. The exhibition invites viewers to consider how sports shape our society, from their impact on the individual to their broader cultural influences.

Sport and Spectator features works by Brandon J. Donahue-Shipp, Jeffrey Gibson, Raul Rene Gonzalez, Sophie Inard, Brian Jungen, Justin Korver, Betsy Odom, Esmaa Mohamoud, Hank Willis Thomas and Tyrrell Winston. Now at the Nerman Museum, this exhibition is expanded further to include additional artworks from local, national, and international collections and artists, including works by Phil “Sike Style” Shafer, Jake Troyli, Sandow Birk, Rob Carter, Felipe Barbosa, Zoe Buckman, Awol Erizku, Samuel Levi Jones, Hugh Hayden, Estaban Ramon Perez and Benjamin Degen.

This exhibition, originally on view at the McNay Art Museum, was organized by René Paul Barilleaux, Head of Curatorial Affairs; and Lauren Thompson, Curator of Exhibitions.