Art Seitz began photographing the US Open in 1968 and has not missed one since. He recalls an era where relationships among tennis journalists, fans, and players were closer.
At this interactive experience, participants were equipped with a customized racquet which was tracked by motion sensors to produce abstract generative art and soundscapes that they could share instantly as high-quality print or digital photos.
Art & Sound of Tennis
Art and tennis have interwoven throughout the 20th Century. Sometimes their connection reflects postwar hopes for global connectivity; other times it can resemble dystopian nightmares of machines gone mad. Electronic Superhighway, a new exhibition at London’s Whitechapel Gallery, captures these dynamics perfectly through works by 10 artists and engineers who used technology to change laboratory/artist studio relationships into unprecedented partnerships.
Frank Stella’s Open Score, an electric tennis match held at New York’s cavernous 69th Regiment Armory, stands out as an intriguing example. Here, 40 engineers from Bell Laboratories (the center of modern communications revolution) worked closely with 10 artists bringing novel technologies closer into their work – in this instance Stella and tennis pro Mimi Kanarek battled each other using rackets wired to emit loud noise and switch off lights when hitting a ball.
Participants were invited to stand before a 30′ LED screen equipped with customized racquets equipped with motion sensors. Swings of these racquets created an abstract generative art visualization and soundscape which was instantly available as both print and digital image output for sharing purposes.
Over 10,000 visitors experienced this installation, many taking photos in a special booth which super-imposed generated artwork onto frames in their hands. It’s an engaging and emotional experience, showing how art can connect people with both themselves and each other.
Dan Stiles’ official theme art for this year’s US Open will still be displayed prominently at entrances to Billie Jean King National Tennis Center despite COVID-19 pandemic, featuring a vibrant streak resembling a tennis ball being served over the net, complete with shadowed textures and vibrant hues that distinguishes it from most theme artwork. He is best-known for creating posters for X Games and Nike, among others.
‘Swing Analysis’
As part of the US Open Fan Experience, participants sat down for a pro session with a tennis coach before standing before a 30′ LED screen with custom racquet tracking using motion sensors. Their swing was turned into abstract generative art with accompanying custom soundscape; after its creation participants could superimpose themselves over it to take high-quality photos they could download and share online.
Participants attending “Swing Analysis” sessions must wear spandex shorts and either a sports bra or sleeveless spandex top with no sleeves to aid marker placement and swing capture. As lotion on the skin affects marker placement and capture, these items of clothing must also be worn to avoid interference with marker capture and labeling processes. Any reflective tapes or emblems could pose further difficulties during these sessions.
‘Tennis Evolution’
Tennis is one of the oldest surviving sports still played today, dating back to French monks using gloved hands to hit a rubber ball against walls during its infancy in the 12th century. Over time, this practice evolved into using wooden rackets, eventually taking hold due to technological advancement and professional players’ influence – leading to significant shifts in stroke methodology preferences and dominance between one-handed backhands and two-handed backhands, slice groundstrokes to topspin groundstrokes, serve and volley dominance and serve and volley dominance over time.
These changes have had a dramatic impact on how we play tennis, from our choice of racquet to how we move around the court with our feet. Furthermore, equipment has evolved with new technologies like computer modeling and 3D printing which increase precision while expanding customization options for racquets.
Tennis Evolution, operated by Jeff Williams and located on YouTube, provides tennis coaching and training programmes. The site is attractively designed and has a professional feel; with free instructional videos providing visitors a sample of what the paid courses entail; plus links to publications which have featured his work.
Jeff offers short and concise free videos that outline each key point in detail, providing a taster for what paid courses offer while potentially improving player technique. In addition, his comments section is very active as viewers post questions. It shows his sincerity in helping improve people’s games.
One of the most striking elements of Tennis Evolution is how its structure has adapted over time. While it may be obvious that the game has changed, pinpointing exactly why these shifts have taken place can be more difficult; for instance, two-handed backhand wasn’t widely adopted until 1970s, which seems an unreasonable amount of time for such a fundamental alteration to occur.
‘Art & Sound’
Tennis combines sport, travel, fashion and romance into one. Its timeless aesthetic outlasts fleeting trends in equipment and clothing design; while its timeless rules enable artists and designers to connect with those who adore this ancient sport today.
Tennis’ appeal lies in its grace of precisely calculated angles and masterful application of spin; this combination evokes drama while remaining pain-free – an exquisite mix of art and sports that draws in artists and novelists for generations. No other sport rivals tennis in terms of inspiring admiration and respect from its followers; none has ever generated as much admiration as this rarefied space between athleticism and art as tennis has done over its long history.
Anna Kuzmanovich created an intriguing audio-visual installation using the bright white lines that mark courts to generate abstract generative artwork. She combined this imagery with an accompanying soundtrack for an enhanced experience that can be experienced at public events.
Jesse Fletcher has also explored the aesthetics of tennis courts through a series of photographic prints. His simple line studies show how each court may appear so differently yet still maintain a basic structure.
Tennis court scenes provide many opportunities for experimenting with space and time, which David Larks explored with his massive 60 x 100 foot mural of John McEnroe wearing Nike tennis shoes, gazing down upon Manhattan from above Manhattan Bridge in Los Angeles – it stood there for four years before it was replaced with a Nike advertisement.
Tennis, often seen as a gentlemen’s game, has always had an alluring edge that separates it from other sports. Tennis was popularized during Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe and Williams sisters’ activist journeys that challenged society’s mores on and off the tennis court; these figures helped cement tennis as both an aspirational activity for athletes as well as desirable activity for society’s elites. With Billie Jean King being King and Arthur Ashe being Ashe – and their wives playing well enough – that made tennis an irresistible aphrodisiac.