source: juxtapoz

The heroic and well-shaped bodies of classical Greek and Roman sculpture idealize the human form in a way that has undoubtedly influenced representation through out the history of Western art. This ideal structure has roots that date back to the early Greek Olympic athletes, a fascination that well-known art historians like Johann Joachim Winkelmann have reflected upon (and which has also led to a long history of refutations by more recent historians like Whitney Davis, a topic that can go further than necessary here).

Jens Ullrich’s collages have struck a chord between the contemporary athlete and the classical sculpture, carefully aligning these majestically poised bodies of stone alongside the twisting and flexing muscles of the human form in motion, a visual delight that is quite a simple gesture that arouses several visual and historical discussions. The works have an air of humor, as the stoic and static stone bodies awkwardly overlay the nimble and dexterous athletes in motion. Each collage embraces the imperfect match of stone and flesh, unafraid to depict the strange fragmentation of forms. Here we sample some of these well-crafted images for your enjoyment, so by all means, enjoy as the heroic nudity of ancient times comes together with a beautiful slam dunk.
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source: me-magazine

Antike Skulpturen und moderne Sportaufnahmen – erst einmal sieht da niemand einen Zusammenhang. Doch der 1968 in Tansania geborene und in Berlin lebende Künstler Jens Ullrich verbindet in seinen großformatigen Collagen Teile klassischer Skulpturen mit Aufnamen von “Fliegern”, Sportlern und Sportlerinnen in der Luft. Diese Verbindung von scheinbar gewichtslosem Schweben und der Reglosigkeit statischer Skulpturen vermittelt eine ganz besondere Sicht, die in dieser Form einzigartig ist.