Here’s a fun mashup we didn’t see coming. A popular Instagram account called “Art But Make It Sports” creates hilarious memes by juxtaposing sports moments next to classic art to highlight the similarities between the two. For instance, there’s Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors popping a candid pose that makes him look like a dancing man from a Keith Haring painting (see below).
Or there’s the outstretched arm of a soccer goalkeeper (above) making a save that resembles Saint Sebastian being tended by the Holy Women in a painting by Jusepe de Ribera. (Yes, we remember a few things from art class.)
Even if you don’t get all the artistic references or recognize all the athletes on Art But Make It Sports, the composites are a hoot and oddly moving. It’s interesting to see the many ways in which the human form can be both beautiful and awkward at the same time. Or as one Instagram follower put it: “@ArtButMakeItSports is everything I didn’t know I needed.”
We’ve included some of the mashups curated by Bored Panda here but if you want to see more, head over to the Art But Make It Sports account pronto. If you’re interested in classic sports photography, check out Peter Read Miller’s recent story for our sister site, Digital Photo Pro, where he shares the stories behind seven of his iconic sports images; and also, Water Iooss Jr’s behind-the-scenes take on seven of his legendary sports shots.
