Nothing quite unites Americans like sports. The excitement of the game, the roaring crowds, the stories of sweet victory and crushing defeat. Sporting has captured the American imagination, inspiring film, television, literature and art.

Artworks in The Hilbert Collection, and on display in this exhibition, show the wide breadth of influence that sport has on American art – not just the illustrators who filled magazines and books with images of athletes, but of fine artists who found inspiration in the thrill of the game. Almost every major popular sport is represented, from the early days of boxing and horse racing to the current dominant sports of football and baseball.

Illustrators and fine artists alike employed bold colors and dynamic compositions to capture the excitement of these great American pastimes. Midcentury illustrators incorporated sport imagery, often involving kids at play, to reassure a nation torn apart by war. Fine artists examined the psychology of sporting and took a deeper look into the physical and emotional tool taken by athletes.

The diversity of subject matter, medium and background of art and artists in this exhibition reflects the unity and community that sporting brings to us. Whether cheering from the stands or playing on the field, we find friendly competition and camaraderie when we play.

Clark Silva, Curator