ARTBALLING
Former England cricket
captain Michael Vaughan
has found an unusual
outlet for his world class
batting skills - by artfully
hitting paint daubed balls at
canvas to produce a series
of spectacular and original
pieces of abstract art
NOT MANY SPORTSMEN admit
to interests far removed from the sporting
sphere but michael Vaughan has never
been shy of declaring his passion for art.
“I always liked art at school and it has stayed
with me,” explains the man who famously
led his team to an historic Ashes victory in
2005.
He has put this interest in modern art into
practice by creating the art of ‘artballing’
which may be best described as a riotous
and colourful mixture of Jackson Pollock
meets Damien Hirst. Vaughan creates the
work by skillfully hitting, throwing and even
bowling a sticky paint covered cricket ball
against a blank canvas. It is a simple con-
cept that produces highly original results.
As the most successful captain in the his- the world of cutting edge urban art. “On
tory of English cricket, it's sometimes easy rained-off afternoons, during a London
to forget Vaughan the batsman. He was test match, he would take me down to
placed as number one in the world batting the galleries in Shoreditch to check out
rankings with eighteen centuries to his the latest shows,” says Vaughan, who now
name. many of the distinctive works feature actively seeks out abstract expressionist art
his famous shots - the ‘drive’, ‘square cut’ for his own personal collection.
and ‘pull’ - and are simply done by playing His new passion has evoked an enthusi-
the authentic shots, usually covered from astic response. "I tell people what I'm doing
head to toe in protective white painting and they raise an eyebrow and say, 'Oh
overalls rather than cricket whites. really?'" Vaughan says. "But then they see
Vaughan’s appreciation for modern art the fi nished works and it really takes them
was cemented back in the early 2000s aback, which is great. Almost everyone
by an unlikely source – his cricketing team who's seen them has been hugely and
mate Ashley Giles, who introduced him to pleasantly surprised."
Autumn 2009 Fine Art ColleCtor 11
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