MUHAMMAD ALI IN ACTION SERIES
“Float like a butterfly sting like a bee” eyes of an eagle, stomach of steel. His humanitarianism, his dedication to Allah, his charisma, his confidence, his beauty, his will to win (even when being booed), and of course, his hometown, are all reason’s I have chosen Muhammad Ali as my subject for a series of drawings.
I became interested in boxing after watching an HBO special profiling the lives of two boxers about ready to fight each other. There is an extreme passion, dedication, and discipline to prepare the body for the best physical condition it can be in, so as to beat and not be beaten. The possible physical damage a boxer puts his body through is extreme. As a figurative artist I find it absolutely amazing what these bodies endure and how they recover to preform again and again.
One thing that struck me as I watched the boxers fight in slow motion was how graceful the bodies looked as they danced together. Dancing to find the right opportunity to make a swing most effective. It is a perfect combination of violence and beauty, coming together to see who is stronger, who is faster, and who will ultimately win the match. Finding a series of Ali’s fights on DVD, gave me a chance to watch him in action, frame by frame. I selected the images I found most compelling and captured the power of his and his opponent’s bodies in water-soluble crayon, pen, charcoal, and soft pastels. I’ve been involved with this project for more than a year and continue to be inspired by Ali as a subject.
Related articles
- Muhammad Ali’s ‘Candid Camera’ Segment Hilarious, Touching (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
- Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Muhammad Ali (neatorama.com)
- Jim Brown Nearly Boxed Muhammad Ali Once Upon A Time (sportsgrid.com)
boxing is one of my favorite sports aside from basketball, I admire there discipline and dedication to master there craft. I love Muhammad Ali too…
[ WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HER AND WE WORKED AT THE CAC TOGETHER-SHE IS SUCH A KICK -WE USED TO GO DANCING ON THURSDAYS FOR OUR EXERCISE. [ REALLY HAPPY SHE IS STILL WORKING}