‘I am thrilled’ – Manchester United favourite Juan Mata discloses Manchester return with a twist
Juan Mata has revealed that he will make a comeback to Manchester in the upcoming summer season, but instead of playing football, he will be responsible for organizing an exhibition centered around the sport.
The 34-year-old left Manchester United after spending eight years there, and he will be returning to his former city to participate in the Manchester International Festival.
Mata, who was famous for his creativity and skill on the football field, will collaborate with Berlin-based artist Hans Ulrich Obrist to co-curate the exhibition.
The exhibition named ‘The Trequartista – Art and Football United’ aims to unite 11 modern artists and 11 football players to create fresh pieces influenced by the Trequartista – a legendary position and technique in football that is quickly vanishing.
“It is fantastic to be returning to Manchester, the city I called home for more than eight years, and to be part of Manchester International Festival for the first time,” Mata said of the two-year-long project.
“I am thrilled to be co-curating ‘The Trequartista – Art and Football United’ with Hans Ulrich Obrist over the next two years, bringing together two of my passions: the worlds of football and art.”
Josh Willdigg, a writer, is the mastermind behind the development of the exhibition. The project will involve 11 groups of footballers and artists who will collaborate for two years, and their collective work will be showcased in a group exhibition at the 2025 edition of the Manchester International Festival.
The project will commence at this year’s festival with the debut of a new piece named ‘This entry,’ created by artist Tino Sehgal in collaboration with Mata. The artwork will be displayed at the National Football Museum and the Whitworth.
Sehgal is renowned for creating artworks that utilize only the human body, voice, and social interaction. He has displayed his work at major art galleries worldwide, including the Guggenheim in New York and the Tate Modern in London.
As part of Mata and Obrist’s joint art project, Sehgal’s contribution is a lively choreographic exchange featuring a footballer, violinist, cyclist, and singing dancer.
The art piece Sehgal contributed to the project is titled ‘Trequartista’, which takes its name from the position of a football playmaker. In Italian, ‘Trequartista’ translates to ‘three quarters’ and refers to the position behind the forward line but in front of the midfield.
‘I am thrilled’ – Manchester United favourite Juan Mata discloses Manchester return with a twist
