CCA Derry~Londonderry is thrilled to announce a solo exhibition featuring artist Michael Hanna’s long-term project, Crossing the Park. This thought-provoking exhibition is set to launch on Saturday, 5 October 2024, and will remain open until Saturday, 21 December 2024. Through this innovative presentation, visitors will delve into the complexities of loyalty and identity as experienced by football fans, specifically in the context of Hanna’s personal journey between two iconic football clubs.
Exploring Football Loyalty
In Crossing the Park, Michael Hanna embarks on a unique and personal journey, attempting to shift his allegiance from Everton Football Club to their historic rivals, Liverpool FC. Over the course of three years, Hanna has documented this challenging transition, confronting the intense social pressures associated with such a change. In Northern Ireland, where fans typically adopt an English club to support for life, changing one’s allegiance can be both a personal and social upheaval. This project serves as a compelling exploration of the themes of loyalty, tribalism, empathy, and identity, while also investigating the psychology underlying group behaviour.
The title Crossing the Park originates from a popular phrase that refers to players who have played for both Everton and Liverpool. The two clubs’ home grounds are separated by Stanley Park, making the act of switching teams a significant cultural statement. This simple geographical divide carries profound implications for identity and community in the realm of sport.
Artistic Rituals and Conversations
Hanna’s project began with a series of rituals and superstitions designed to help him embrace his new allegiance to Liverpool. These early works were showcased during the URGENCIES exhibition in 2021 at CCA. They included various gestures such as applying red body paint during Liverpool matches, purchasing Liverpool kits for his newborn child, and even adopting specific match-day meals that were associated with the club’s goalkeeper, Pepe Reina. These personal rituals underscore the emotional weight of sports fandom and the lengths to which individuals will go to integrate themselves into a new identity.
The exhibition will also feature a series of filmed conversations in which Hanna engages with a psychologist to discuss group dynamics and the nature of change. Additionally, he speaks with Liverpool taxi drivers, gathering insights on friendship, family, and the multifaceted nature of football fandom. Central to the exhibition is a text that outlines seven activities, informed by social psychological theories, aimed at cultivating affinity for Liverpool FC while diminishing ties to Everton. This framework, developed by Professor Rhiannon Turner from Queen’s University Belfast, has significantly influenced Hanna’s artistic exploration and the overall direction of the project.
Support and Collaboration
Crossing the Park is commissioned by CCA Derry~Londonderry in collaboration with the Centre Culturel Irlandais and F.E. McWilliam Gallery. The project has received generous support from the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Commissioning Programme, Derry City & Strabane District Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Temple Bar Gallery + Studios, and the Elephant Trust.
As visitors engage with this thought-provoking exhibition, they are invited to reflect on their own experiences of loyalty, identity, and the powerful connections that sports can forge within communities. The exhibition not only challenges traditional notions of allegiance in sports but also invites a deeper understanding of what it means to belong, to change, and to connect with the shared narratives that define us.
In an era where football often divides as much as it unites, Michael Hanna’s Crossing the Park serves as a poignant reminder of the complex interplay between personal identity and collective belonging, ultimately enriching the dialogue around loyalty in contemporary culture.
