What is a blogger? The new phenomenon of the blogger has changed and revolutionized the internet or information super highways we call it. There are all types of people blogging their way into our lives. Freedom of expression and speech has found a new outlet in the form of a blogger. They sit at their computers typing away ideas, thoughts, criticisms; displaying artistic freedom to present themselves and open up a part of their lives and let us in. The blogger offers a different perspective into the specific topics they discuss on their individual blogs. This leads us to discuss the illustrations of sports blogger Hiroki Sakamoto, who began his blog in early 2005. Being an avid sports fan his entire life, he found a new platform in the world of blogging to display his opinions and illustrations of the sports world. The role of a sport blogger in the sports world today is that of fan, commentator, and critic.
How do we define illustration? To some it is a depiction of what we envision when reading a story, to others it defines a perception of what happens in the world. To define illustration in the world of art we cannot limit it to the aspects of traditional drawing, but relate it more of an expression of the artist feelings about the subject. In other words, an illustration portrays more visually what words and text cannot.
The exhibition Illustrations of a Sports Blogger explores his relationship with the world of sports as a devoted fan and critic. The illustrations first began to depict how he viewed the icons of sports in his blog ( http://hoopnba.exblog.jp ). These illustrations soon evolved to take on more of an artistic representation of these icons. Hiroki was not just portraying the greatness of the athletes and coaches; he was expressing the feeling of the game, the true spirit of the sport with artistic vision. There are two sides to every story as with every game played, and all that participate in that game, Hiroki as the artist understands how to visually portray these sides. His style of using illustration to capture emotions and actions of the players goes beyond what photography displays as a still image that is simply freezing the moment. When he picks up his tablet and pen he is not just drawing.
He is rendering from memory a visual representation of what he witnessed during a game. Racing through his mind as he draws are his feelings towards the actions in the game: as a spectator, fan, and critic of the player and all other outside influences. Going beyond capturing the moment in a still-frame of time, he pushes the boundaries of line and color, depicting the athlete in a continuous movement of body and mind. In his illustrations, he explores all involved in the game -- the athlete, the coach, and the reaction of the outside world into the sports arena. Hiroki manifests in his illustrations that more is involved in the world of sports than just the athletes. The actions of the athletes and coaches affect the fans and the reaction of fans can change the outcome of a game. There is a nurturing and respectful bond that fans develop towards their chosen team. Theystay true to their team through thick and thin, defending their team in times of defeat and praising the team in times of victory. Fans of a team feel as though they are a major part of what makes up the team. This bond between team and fan is strong and thought to be unbreakable. Many teams say that without their fans they are nothing.
In the series based on Isaiah Thomas downfall from star athlete to despised coach of the NY Knicks basketball team, the artist reveals to us the breakdown of the bond between fans and coach. In the beginning of his career Isaiah Thomas was a man loved and respected by many as a star athlete, becoming a coach was to be the next level for him to prove his worthiness to his fans. Only the man loved, as an athlete was to go to a darker side becoming despised by many fans and spectators of the world of sports. When viewing this series you can see Hiroki's feelings towards this man of greatness go from sympathy to feelings of distrust and disdain. Hiroki as the artist depicts the emotions that Isaiah is feeling from the fan's reactions to what he as done to their beloved team. You want to feel pity for Isaiah but cannot because you see that he has chosen this path, falling from the high pedestal from where he was originally placed by the fans, instead trying to place self above all others.
As an artist Hiroki successfully illustrates to the viewer the emotions and actions going on during the game and the reaction to what happens after the game has finished. He goes beyond the sports arena and into what is happening in all aspects of the sports world. He gives us as spectators a view into the feeling he has as a fan and critical sports blogger towards the world of sports and how it affects all involved.
