In an exclusive interview with Bored Panda, LJ, the artist behind these comics, admitted that in terms of what is the primary source of inspiration, art or sports, it goes both ways. "It’s a little bit of both – when I first started, I had the art first (hence ArtButMakeItSports), but over time what’s resonated are mashups of viral sports moments, so now I tend to start with the sports moment and then work backwards."
The whole project started very modestly, but over time the motivation grew. "A lot of the time it’s just seeing something and recognizing a painting or theme in artwork that I’ve been exposed to in the past. I can’t necessarily explain how it happens. In terms of motivation, it started as a way to entertain myself & my friends, but now I love sharing it with others and getting feedback on how it makes people feel – a lot of folks have shared that they are pure sports people but have come to appreciate art because of the account, and vice versa. Sure, there are a few things in the works, but for the moment I’m really enjoying making content and bringing the account to new people."
We've asked what similarities does the artist find between sports and art, and the artist was happy to give his take. "There are a number, but the emotion present in some of these sports moments/artwork that tends to mesh has been surprising – It’s fun to imagine what an artist would say if they knew their work was being turned into sports."
Sometimes the artist even gets acknowledgement from the athletes and sports leagues for his effort, and it motivates him even more. "A handful of photographers, leagues, and athletes follow and interact with the account. Always fun to see their thoughts, as each bring a unique lens of opinion."
This strange correlation between art and sports isn't as new as one might think. Ancient Greeks highly focused on athletic excellence and many art pieces had athletes as subjects, mostly sculptures and vase paintings. Many other ancient cultures depicted their games and sports, too. Though classical painters would "disagree" that they're worthy of their brush, but they're at least worthy of a comparison with them, as in the case of this Instagram account.
