Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing

This summer, The Church and The Flag Art Foundation in New York City are collaborating on an exhibition in both of their venues. Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing explores boxing as both theme and metaphor, evoking complex, and multifaceted cultural meanings. Developed in tandem and curated independently, the two exhibitions feature over 100 works, including historical and contemporary pieces as well as newly commissioned work for the shows.

At The Church, Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing is co-curated by Co-Founder Eric Fischl and Chief Curator Sara Cochran. The exhibition underscores boxing’s expansive place in human life and the varied ways it is perceived by a diverse array of artists. It is shorthand for the existential question “What is worth fighting for?” and themes of struggle, defiance, victory, martyrdom, and brutality. Contemporary work particularly questions its traditional symbolism of masculinity by challenging male domination of the sport and brings up issues of race, poverty, and violence.

This show is a sermon about the belief and value we put on the struggle to be, to live, to understand, to love, to try, and to never give up. I believe everyone walking through our door holds these values to be true and will recognize and appreciate all the creative ways artists have found to deal with the monumentality of meaningful living.
– Eric Fischl

Strike Fast Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing highlights iconic and compelling works that hold up a mirror to us, showing versions of ourselves that both inspire and challenge us. As Sara Cochran mentions, “The boxer is a figure caught alone in the crosshairs of choice and fate in a moment that can change everything. Perhaps this is why the boxer is a poignant metaphor for our turbulent and uncertain times.”

Extensive public programming will accompany the exhibitions.

Artists to be featured at The Church include Derrick Adams, Zoë Buckman, Cassils, Carroll Dunham, Dzine, Eric Fischl, Fab 5 Freddy, Jules Feiffer, Barry Flanagan, Ralph Gibson, Jeffrey Gibson, Lyle Ashton Harris, Michael Halsband, Lonnie Holley, Judith Hudson, Rashid Johnson, Howard Kanowitz, Stephen Laub, Glenn Ligon, Martin Kippenberger, Robert Maplethorpe, Delilah Montoya, Leroy Neiman, Ed Paschke, Paul Pfeiffer, Deborah Roberts, Ellington Robinson, Alison Saar, Gary Simmons, Charles Waller, Carrie Mae Weems, Darius Yektai, and many others.

The FLAG Foundation’s presentation will run from June 16–August 11, 2023. Intended to be viewed in dialogue, we encourage our visitors to see both shows. Artists at FLAG will include George Bellows and Eadweard Muybridge, along with contemporary artworks by John Ahearn, Andrea Bowers, Rosalyn Drexler, Curran Hattelberg, Rashid Johnson, Vincent Valdez, Yvonne Wells, and many more. FLAG is located Chelsea, at 545 West 25th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

For more information, visit www.flagartfoundation.org.