Saatchi Gallery Special: Where Football Becomes Art | Fashion

Across this weekend – the 9th & 10th of May, the Emirates FA Cup and the Adobe Women’s FA Cup are set to take over the Saatchi Gallery for an exhibition titled ‘The Art of Possibility’. Spanning three galleries, this first-of-its-kind exhibition explores the past, present and future of our nation’s beloved competitions and captures the tournaments as a platform of possibility.

The Art of Possibility brings together newly commissioned artworks, historical artefacts, unseen photography and immersive digital experiences that celebrate over 150 years of Cup culture. 12 Artists, who are Mattia Guarnera, Carlo Bellmann, Soldierboyfriend, Navinda Nangla, Me Old China, Another Knitted Thing, AG Fits, Sally Barton, Roman Manfredi, Lazerian, Grace Clifford, Lakwena and Slawn will be showcasing their work to demonstrate the values and prestige that both cups hold.

The Emirates FA Cup has been a footballing touchstone for over 15 decades and is the oldest national football tournament in the world, championing values of diversity and inclusivity, with over 700 clubs taking part each season. This sense of community has also manifested itself in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, from the growth of the women’s game from the grassroots over the last few decades to a record breaking attendance of over 75,000 people at the 2023 final.

The Art of Possibility aims to explore all the tropes and pillars of what makes both cups so important on both a local and global scale. The exhibition will look back at iconic moments, from the ‘Gerrard’ final of 2005 to Ronnie Radford’s FA Cup defining goal for Hereford in 1972, using unseen archived footage balanced with avant-garde contemporary art.

The exhibition will be opened on the 8th of May with an exclusive launch party, and general public times will be on the 9th and 10th from 9AM-6PM. There will also be a watchalong party hosted in the gallery for the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Semi-Final on the 10th of May. 

The Art of Possibility promises to be an unmissable occasion for fans of football, art, and general culture, delving into every aspect of two prestigious tournaments as well as redefining the futures of both.