Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno’s 2006 two-channel video work “Zidane, a 21st century portrait” will screen at the Guggenheim Museum in New York from June 11 to July 19. The timing aligns with the first and last whistles of the FIFA World Cup. The film presents a 90-minute Real Madrid vs. Villarreal match shot entirely from Zidane’s perspective, emphasizing his technical mastery and mental focus. Footage from 17 cameras placed around the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and live broadcast views from an April 2005 match are spliced and choreographed to create an intimate portrait. The work is often described as voyeuristic and draws stylistic references to Goya and Velázquez, moving beyond sports idol worship into psychological portraiture.
"Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's "Zidane, a 21st century portrait," a 2006 film celebrating French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane, will be screened from June 11 to July 19 at the Guggenheim Museum, timed with the first and last whistles of the FIFA World Cup."
"The two-channel video piece has a deceptively simple premise: a 90-minute match between Real Madrid and Villarreal shot entirely from the perspective of Zidane, the attacking midfielder known for his sophisticated passes, technical mastery, and, less ceremoniously, his dismissal from the 2006 World Cup in the 110th minute after head-butting Italian center back Marco Materazzi."
"Footage captured by 17 cameras placed throughout Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and live broadcast views of the April 2005 match are expertly spliced and choreographed to assemble a rare, intimate picture of a player immersed in a game that is as much a mental as a physical feat."
"Often described as "voyeuristic," the work pushes past surface-level inquiries into the cult of sports idolatry to plumb the psychological depths of portraiture, with stylistic references to Francisco de Goya and Diego Velázquez."
Read at Hyperallergic
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