Inspired by this summer’s Olympic Games, we put out an open call to Dazed Club members for creative projects exploring the idea of sport, movement and athletics.
Below, we share the final seven from a series of 24 projects selected from over 250 submissions.
If you’d like to find out about future Dazed Club open calls, see all the submissions and post your own work, download the app HERE.
“I’m a 26-year-old French photographer. Through photography, I document everyday life and society from a quirky and colourful angle. I like to capture the details and eccentricities in a kitschy, saturated world. For this series, I went to places full of supporters, during the opening ceremony and during the Olympic Games, in the stadiums or in the fan zones. The public proudly displayed in their looks the colours and cultural symbols of their country and were very open to having their photo taken. For ten days or so, I was on the lookout for every detail, even in the street or the underground!” – Sonia Reveyaz
Violet Xanthe Bennett8 Images
“I’m a photographer based in the United Kingdom, and I also hold a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. My documentary work focuses primarily on women in male-dominated sports and the outdoors. Grappling competitively for the past eight years has given me a space to cultivate, explore and express an element of femininity that is not soft or subdued, but is instead visceral, ancient, joyous and raw.
“While this collection only tells a sliver of each of these athletes’ stories, it focuses on the brief moments that those stories overlap in competition stadiums across Europe. The female competitors share a dedication to the pursuit of mastery, a collective commitment to enduring failure with grace and a refusal to accept any less than the very best of themselves. In a heavily male-dominated sport, tournaments are an opportunity for the female grappling community to support and celebrate one another on some of our most vulnerable and powerful days. My work is a love letter to the women who fight for each other as fiercely as they fight against one another when the time comes.” – Violet Xanthe Bennett
“This is a part of my 2023 travel diary from Philadelphia, USA. I spent two weeks in Philly exploring the city through my lens. While walking along the Schuylkill, I encountered a stranger playing basketball. I was immediately captivated by the interplay of light and shadow on the court.
“The project revolves around the raw energy and emotion found in spontaneous athletic moments. My approach to editing was to enhance the dynamic nature of sports. By amplifying the interaction between the athlete and his environment, I aimed to convey the motion and tension of the game, even in stillness. The editing style mirrors the fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled essence of basketball, making the image not just a still moment but a reflection of the sport’s vibrant, kinetic energy.” – Sarah Johanna Köster
“As a designer at selfFab., I am deeply passionate about merging sports and fashion with a focus on sustainability. The RE-MAESTRO collection pays tribute to the legendary stories of football, transforming vintage jerseys into unique art pieces that reflect the sport’s rich history. Collaborating with Tokyo’s freestyle football team, Air Technician, on the Freemaster project was an incredible opportunity to capture the dynamic spirit of freestyle football. This partnership showcases the resilience and passion inherent in both art and sports, inviting fans to engage with fashion as a storytelling medium” – Menu Tsai
Credits: Campaign Creative concept, Menu Tsai and Fab.studio; Video director and producer, Kazane; Photographer, Kazuki Murata; Assistant photographer, Masato Otsubo and Kaisei Sakurai; Videography: Maru, Kengo; Hair stylist, Kensuke Hamada; Makeup artist, Miku, Konatsu; Starring, Kazane, Ibuki Yoshida, Yuto, Yuri Kamalio, Sofia, Makoto, Miharudaga, Sora.
“I am a UK-based photographer whose portraiture focuses on gaining visibility for members of the LGBTQ+ community. I work with a mix of documentary and environmental portraiture, capturing the real lives of people. Inspired mainly by the stories of others, the warm, natural tones in my analogue images show the clarity of real life. My Seen In Sport project explores whether members of the LGBTQ+ community feel safe, seen and included within their chosen sporting community. As a queer photographer myself, LGBTQ+ issues and visibility have always been a focus of my work and a topic that I am extremely passionate about.
“There have been studies focussing on the inclusivity and safety of queer people within sport, with worrying numbers expressing that they do not feel safe. So, by shooting these intimate portraits, I hope to show others the real lives of queer people today alongside some personal words about their experiences in a zine I created. The intimate analogue portraits celebrate strong queer sportspeople, hoping their stories will inspire others to get involved in sports and be authentically themselves.” – Florence Law
Credits: Modelling by Lois Hinder, Ethan Akanni, Aidan Leeson, Amy Lloyd-Jones, Jaide Annalise, Kai Trusson, Flavia Lamaro, James Mounsey, Okasia B.
“Being half Japanese-French and having studied fine art at Central St Martins in London, Parsons in New York, Beaux Arts in Paris and Tokyo, my artistic universe has been influenced by these vivid, resonant, intense urban and cultural experiences. Diversity is at the heart of my work and brings together different styles and mediums through the art of assemblage, mixing photography, painting, graffiti, drawing and collages.
“Artistic philosophy and sports philosophy share a common foundation by highlighting human values such as perseverance, self-expression and personal accomplishment. As an artist and strong sports enthusiast, my photography practice merges these two fundamental elements of my life. I am fascinated by the determination and courage of each athlete that resides within us, as we push our physical and mental limits on any competitive field whatever it may be. I seek to freeze these moments of intense effort, transient pain and unwavering perseverance” – Kinu Kamura
Sebastian Barros and Fa & Fon Watkins21 Images
“Destined for Greatness is all about capturing athletes in their element, whether it’s at home, their first training spot, or their childhood stomping ground. We want to portray narratives of unwavering dedication and relentless drive. Through a dramatic lens, we aim to illuminate their remarkable journey, celebrating their past triumphs, the taking part that serves as testaments to their innate talent and unwavering determination. We want to show a high-intensity perspective through dramatisation – the highs and lows of being at the top of your game. It’s about capturing obscure angles and moments of exhaustion amongst the feeling of pride and honour which exudes from the athletes: the elation, the frustration, the tiredness, all the stuff that shows the moody side of future and past Olympians.” – Sebastian Barros
Credits: Athletes: Emily King & Ojie Edoburan; Creative Directors: Fa and Fon Watkins; Photographer: Seb Barros; Photography assistant: Freddie Stisted; Director’s assistant: Ryan James; Producer: Caragh Green; Creative retouching: Justine Foord; Article written by: Natty Kasambala; Styling (Emily King) by: In Woo; Styling assisted by: Ameia Jostar; Makeup and glam (Emily King) by: Eliza Clarke; Stylist (Ojie Edoburan): Shammi Popat; Assistant stylists: Nish Yadagiri, Tiamani Howard-Jones and Elizabeth Welch.
Emily is wearing: Fiona Schurter, BIBIY, Karl Lagerfeld, Lauren Morley-Aistrop, Andersson Bell, Hyo Park, Simone Li, Sisters and Seekers, Lauren Morley-Aistro, PLEIADES, Simone Li, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, ISSEY MIYAKE, by FOUNDRY MEWS. Ojie is wearing: Wales Bonner; Ahluwalia; Lucy Barlow; Zabala; Jon Ferris; Saffron Rutter; Dodam Gwon; Clothes for idiots. With special thanks to Ojie’s coach Jemaine Olasan.