“The project arose with the idea of making a cross between art and popular culture. The idea of making a photographic series on the history of soccer jerseys seemed almost like a logical subject to produce in the context of Argentina, taking into account the value it has as a garment appropriated by people in everyday life and that it has become In the last century, it has become a tool for collective identity and a cult object. River was chosen as he has a well-developed bibliography with the book. “The River Shirt”, by Javier Maluf, which not only shows the evolution of the shirt, but also accompanies it with a well-documented historical context investigation”, described the photographer Leandro Allochisauthor of the sample “A Century of Heroes. Football, identity and mythology in the River Plate shirts”.
The art exhibition is taking place at the River Plate Museum, Located at Avenida Figueroa Alcorta 7509, where the evolution of the millionaire shirt over time is exhibited. In this regard, it is a remarkable case in the history of modern clothing, presenting itself as a collective garment that spans generations, social classes, and territories. The exhibition is taking place until August 15, from Monday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The photographic exhibition allows us to see the evolution of Creole soccer that was born as an immigrant neighborhood club activity that later became professional and became a massive spectacle. The choice of shirts for the series had to show the emblematic and most remembered models, but also reveal a diversity not very well known in that universe, since, like other clubs, River wore unusual designs and colors such as blue, green, light blue and even lilac in the 70s”, explained Allochis.
“The exhibition is presented as part of a concept that has been deployed and strengthened in the River Museum over the years: activities that connect with the history of the Club, and that of football in general, with art and culture in its various and different dimensions. The clubs are not only transmitters of culture, but part of the national culture and heritage. This exhibition is of great value for its artistic quality, but also because it is part of that path, thinking and showing the shirts as cloaks of passion and traces of River Plate history,” he said. Rodrigo Daskal, president of the Museum, Trophies and History Department of Club Atlético River Plate.
“The photographic series had two objectives; On the one hand, being able to see for the first time old shirts looking like new and dressed by models who emulate aesthetics and hairstyles from each decade of the 20th century. But he also addressed the models so that they would pose as heroes, recovering representation formulas from the history of art, especially from Renaissance. In other words, the way in which the players have been portrayed conveys one meaning: glory, power and hierarchy”said the artist and teacher, author of the book “The Symbolic Body” (2017) and researcher of Costume History Museum and collaborator of the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design (New York) and the University of Palermo.
Finally, Allochis concluded: “The soccer jersey is not just any outfit; it is used by players and fans as a banner, a flag that marks the proud belonging to a group and that carries the values and triumphs of a team, its history , his dynasty and his genealogy. Clearly, The football shirt is the most iconic garment of the 20th century, through which popular culture updates the traditional cult of heroes.
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