Want Some Contemporary Art With Your Tennis? The US Open Has You Covered.

This year's tournament is getting some sculptures

US Open Tennis Tournament 2019
An exterior view of Louis Armstrong Stadium during the 2019 US Open Tennis Tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 1st, 2019.
Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

The worlds of elite sports and contemporary art do not, as a rule, have a lot of overlap. That’s not all that strange, in and of itself; while someone might savor a clay court matchup and contemplating large-scale installation art, those two things are often carried out at different times and in different locations.

At least, that’s been how things have operated in the past. Visitors to this year’s U.S. Open, though, will get to take in the best of both worlds via a new partnership with the Armory Show.

As The Art Newspaper reports, this year’s Open is set to feature a few new additions to the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center — a series of sculptures by internationally-known artists. Nicole Berry, the Executive Director of The Armory Show, spoke of working to inspire dialogue through the program. “This joint venture brings a piece of The Armory Show to the tournament and its visitors, promising to spark important conversations around the dynamic works on view,” Berry said.

The Art Newspaper pointed out that this is follows last year’s Armory Off-Site, which placed sculptures around New York City. Given that the two events overlap, it’s an intriguing collaboration. Among the artists featured will be Jose Davila, Gerald Chukwuma, and Luzene Hill. It’s an intriguing break from the norm — and a potential new tradition.

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