OOF, A Store Like 94 and The Art House, have joined forces to bring together eight artists from Chicago/Accra-based Deadly Prey Gallery for a first-of-its-kind exhibition celebrating iconic footballers in the rich tradition of Ghanaian hand-painted movie posters. 'Fantasy Football' features masters of the genre including Bright Obeng, Heavy J, Stoger and Salvation, whose work emerged during the late 1980s and '90s with the boom in Ghanaian mobile cinema culture. Makeshift video clubs, usually consisting of a TV, a video player and a portable generator loaded onto a truck, travelled around the country showing the latest Hollywood and Bollywood movies, along with kung-fu classics and West African films. With no promotional material or printmaking facilities available, local artists were commissioned to create posters to advertise the screenings, and their  bold, wildly inventive paintings kickstarted a movement that went on to gain international recognition.

Often with just a title for inspiration, artists relied on instinct to come up with exaggerated, funny and otherworldly narratives for the posters, even if it meant including a scenario that didn't actually appear in the film. The paintings in 'Fantasy Football' continue the tradition, taking their titles from modern documentaries about footballing superstars, while reimagining the players as comic book characters, action heroes, gangsters and ancient warriors. Zidane is pictured 'Terminator'-like on a motorcycle, Messi appears with a tattooed E.T., R9 poses with Mickey Mouse.

Full of joy, steeped in humour and heavy on nostalgia, these paintings offer a timely antidote to the blandness and greed found in so much of the modern game.

Participating artists: Bright Obeng, C.A. Wisely, Daniel, Heavy J, Magasco, Nii Bi Ashitey, Salvation, Stoger.

Exhibition runs 12 June to 8 July at The Art House, 30-36 Pritchard’s Road, London, E2 9AP. Admission is free.

PRESS: Creative Review