This book documents an expansive, traveling group exhibition centered on the sport, psychology, ethos and spectacle of boxing. Artists have often gravitated toward the “sweet science” as a subject, and have investigated the boxer as an icon and metaphor for excellence, physical power, perseverance, achievement and perhaps humanity itself, representing its wins and losses, regiment and fluidity, violence and artistry. Given the wealth of depictions of boxers throughout art history, this book explores the sport as inspiration with objects and works by more than 90 artists, ranging in time from ancient to contemporary, and spanning the media of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and film. The book is fully illustrated with an extensive plate section, and features new texts by artist and Founder of the Church, Eric Fischl, as well as Sara Cochran, Jonathan Rider, Arden Sherman and Robert Lipsyte.
February 19, 2025
