Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait is the latest artistic project being shown at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw. It comprises a video installation created out of a soccer match by two world-famous visual artists: Douglas Gordon from Britain and Philippe Parreno from France.

Viewers are treated to 90 minutes of French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane playing for Real Madrid against Villarreal The match has been recorded by 17 cameras, each placed at a different angle.

Zidane is presented to us in a variety of ways, from a close up showing his wrist to a wide shot where he is just one of many players on the field. This work raises questions about the role of sport and sportsmen-idols and heroes in modern culture.

The video installation is accompanied by the work of Polish and international artists, including Andy Warhol's (1928-1987) Sleep (1963), a five-hour epic depicting the artist's friend John Giorno sleeping.
MR

Zachęta National Gallery of Art, 3 Małachowskiego Sq., Warsaw, tel. (22) 827 58 54; www.zacheta.art.pl