6323 x 2891 px | 53,5 x 24,5 cm | 21,1 x 9,6 inches | 300dpi
Aufnahmedatum:
2. August 2025
Ort:
Etihad Stadium, Etihad Campus, Manchester, England, UK
Weitere Informationen:
. The tighter composition brings the group of statues representing Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee into the foreground outside Manchester City’s stadium. The three figures appear on a common base with the Etihad Stadium’s curved blue exterior and suspended roof structure rising behind them. These players are remembered as influential figures in Manchester City’s earlier history and are part of the club’s enduring sporting identity. The image differs from a broader stadium view by putting the sculptural figures, their spacing and their relationship with the building at the centre of attention. Football clubs increasingly use statues and other permanent installations to link their grounds with stories that supporters pass on across generations. Such memorials have a role in sport, local identity and destination tourism, where visitors may photograph them on matchdays or stadium tours. The photograph documents a public artwork, not the men themselves or an original match in which they played. The perspective captures the three-figure tribute as part of the stadium forecourt. The tighter framing gives more attention to the different poses of the three footballers and the raised arms and positioning of the figures. The sculptural group is a permanent representation of sporting history, linking Manchester City’s past achievements with the home ground used by the club today. Unlike an ordinary action photograph of a match, the work interprets named players through form and gesture. The foreground plinth and broad open concourse suggest how the monument has been positioned to be seen by people moving towards the stadium. The blue horizontal bands of the building are still prominent but serve as a background to the tribute. Made by David Williams-Ellis and unveiled in November 2023, the almost 4.5-metre-high bronze tribute emphasises expressive poses. The bronze forms stand in front of the curved stadium frontage and its distinctive cables.
