A Liverpool Fan's Venice Biennale Reflection on Football and Art

During the 2019 Venice Biennale, the author visited an Irish bar in Venice to watch a UEFA Champions League semi-final match between Liverpool and Barcelona on 6 December 2019. Liverpool, despite missing key players and trailing 3-0 from the first leg, achieved an improbable 4-0 victory. The bar, near the Arsenale, displayed a printed sign advertising the match, which was later annotated with the score by an attendee. The author, accompanied by friends and Liverpool supporters, skipped a performance by Joan Jonas to witness the game, drawing parallels between football and art as shared, intense experiences. The event underscored fandom as a form of empathy and commitment, akin to engaging with cultural works. The article, an online exclusive from ArtReview, reflects on how such moments, like great art, are rare and memorable.