Inspiration meets perspiration at star sportspeople's art opening

The Games may be over but the tie-ins continue. Thursday night saw a big kick-off for an exhibition called Sport in Art, presented by Opera Gallery and adidas.

After touring the mainland for the past 10 months, the exhibition of more than 20 works teaming art and athletics, inspiration and perspiration is showing at the Wellington Street gallery and various Hongkong Land properties across Central. In addition to pieces by famous Chinese artists, there are dabbings by such celebrity sportspeople as Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi, former Australian swimming star Ian Thorpe, Russian high-jump sensation Yelena Isinbayeva and US sprinter Tyson Gay, and a large banner atop the Landmark Atrium by some guy named Beckham.

However, the only artist in attendance at the opening cocktail party was Chongqing native Zhong Biao (left), who created a triptych called Olympics Hope, Olympics Victory and Olympics Free. 'It doesn't matter whether it is sports or life, we all have to have hope in order to win, and the ultimate victory of any kind is to gain freedom,' Zhong said. 'I used to be a big football fan but now I am too busy to play and I am actually a bit out of shape. I want to fly in the sky but I am too heavy to do so.' That's hardly an excuse; the sponsor's motto is 'Impossible is nothing', right? The exhibition runs until October 4. Then the art will be auctioned, with proceeds going to Right to Play China to help child victims of the Sichuan quake.