A New Sport Language

Through photography and visual storytelling, A NEW SPORT LANGUAGE challenges the way female athletes are represented. Founded by photographer and director Yana Van Nuffel and designer Isabel Wolfs, the project brings together photography, creative direction and sportswear design to develop a visual language shaped by the female gaze. Presented in Paris through installations, moving image, sound and design research, the exhibition invites visitors to experience movement beyond conventions.

Sport is often defined by performance, but there is so much more to it. A New Sport Language puts female athletes at the centre and gives them a voice in how they are represented. The creative practice opens up space for new perspectives on female strength, movement and identity.

“I don’t think there’s anything more unifying than sport. Alongside art and music, it transcends language, culture and background. When you’ve spent hours pushing through challenges together, a bond naturally forms.” – Claire Michel, Triathlete

The project consists of four chapters, each exploring a different perspective on women in sport. From movement and repetition on an ice rink in Rhythmic Forms to the examination of strength and control inside a boxing ring in A Study of Control, the imagery moves between sport, fashion and performance. Movement Sciences: Human in Motion, developed with Ghent University’s Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, addresses the underrepresentation of women in sports research, while Surreal Gravity Play explores movement through surreal perspectives that challenge the perception of gravity.

 

Beyond image-making, A New Sport Language also questions how sportswear is designed. Through Studio Wolfs, Isabel Wolfs explores the reuse of existing materials from the sports industry, transforming sportswear, equipment and accessories through techniques such as knitting and pleating. Central to the research is the female body and the question of how design can better respond to the needs of women in sport.

“When male athletes are highly competitive, they’re seen as driven. When women show that same competitiveness, they’re often labelled as divas. I don’t understand why confidence and being outspoken about your goals are celebrated in men, but judged differently in women.” – Naomi Van den Broeck, Sprinter & hurdler

Bringing together female athletes from different disciplines, the project features Naomi Van den Broeck, Héloïse Doumont, Jade Vansteenkiste, Claire Orcel, Claire Michel, Isabel Grevelt, Isa Leroy, Quinty Hersi, Ju-Lin De Visser, Raven Chapman and Shannon Ryan.

 

Together, they show how different women experience and shape sport in their own way. A New Sport Language creates space for these perspectives to be seen and celebrated.

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