Project Name
Team Spirit
Posted in
Photography
Year
2017
Detailed Information
Project NameTeam SpiritPosted inPhotographyYear2017

London based photographer, Eliška Kyselková wanted to depict the "playful approach" to sports in her photographic series, Team Spirit. Inspired by the sameness of the players’ uniforms as well as by the uniqueness of each player’s individual movements at any given moment, these are the two elements that take precedence in her photos.

The color-infused backdrop of a lawn tennis court as well as an ever-changing set of props - from badminton rackets to ping pong, tennis and basket balls - hint at the sport element in each of the images; but that's only where the reality of the sport depiction stops and the whimsy of Eliška's photo fiction begins…

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

These "athletes" are actually interacting with these elements in ways unheard of in traditional sportsmanship - and following a very one-of-a-kind set of playing rules! Take the image of the four "players" in matching green lycra bodysuits playing a unique version of tennis using ping pong rackets - which are embedded underneath their bodysuits, of course - while warding off an "attack" from ping pong balls. Or the image of the athletes -this time wearing red lycra bodysuits - performing an acrobatic move all the while surrounded by a perfect circle of badminton birdies. Let's not even get started trying to analyze the double take caused by the bumpy - literally - image of multicolored, lycra-clad legs and ping pong balls.     

In all the images by Eliška Kyselková , the elements of humor and exaggeration tie-in beautifully with the ethos of cooperation, as well the competitive nature underlying all sports. These are not literal depictions, by any stretch of the imagination, but imagination is exactly what makes these so evocative and fun, witty and insightful.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Photo © Eliška Kyselková.

Team Spirit by Eliška Kyselková: The Humor of Uniformity and the Exaggeration of Competition

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