El Campo

Apr 30 - June 6, 2014

VAN HORN, Düsseldorf

El Campo—The Field

The field is the pitch, where the action (the gesture) of the game unfolds. The pitch is a rectangular container for, and also holds the dual meaning of, an advertising promotion. The dissolving of a logo (a graphic) into just a thing (an abstraction) can hinge on the caché of a foreign brand. The athlete, who is the content provider, is both a symbol of speed and endurance and also a myth of prolonged youth. Everyone wants their team’s jersey.

"El Campo," in English, sounds like it has something to do with camping. When Bill Murray wore a red Adidas tracksuit in a still from Meatballs, it was the simple juxtaposition of synthetic and organic, red and green. It was product placement as an instance of supreme leisure. Sports gear in the woods is even cooler—sportier—and more active.