Meet Kelly Anna, The Artist Celebrating The Beauty And Culture Of Football This Champions League Final

For thousands, the final is a culmination of a longer journey – for months, dedicated fans have been travelling to away games across Europe, in the hopes that their team will bring home that precious trophy.

To commemorate this iconic event, Expedia has collaborated with Kelly Anna, a London-based artist and designer, to create a special art installation that fans can visit in London’s Trafalgar Square. Kelly Anna, who captures the beauty of movement with striking silhouettes, has curated a unique sensory experience that showcases the cities of the Champions League and celebrates all the best parts of the beautiful game. 

BuzzFeed UK sat down with Kelly Anna to find out all about the project, her creative process, and how her lifelong love of sports has shaped her artwork. 

What is the biggest inspiration for this project?
I've always enjoyed capturing that movement. So being able to watch the games, watch football, and watch how the players interact with each other. It’s kind of capturing their energy and getting that down. And then also, really delving into depicting all of these different cities throughout Europe. It was that was actually really exciting – challenging, but really exciting.

So how did you focus on the different cities?
So I actually focused on the essence of each city and looking at different kinds of landmarks and different shapes, because I use a lot of shape in my work, and seeing what different things I could pull out from each city. But each part of the whole thing kind of comes together – it all feels the same, but every city feels different and unique.

Do you think fans that are coming to the installation will be able to recognise their city or little bits of their culture that they resonate with?
I do hope so. They’ll definitely be able to tell their city, which I think is really nice. You know, they're going to be in London, but they'll also see a part of their city in London as well, which I think is really exciting and really nice.

People don't automatically associate football with art, why do you think it's so important for art and sport to come together like this?
I think art just allows for storytelling and football has so many dramatic moments – there are so many deep connections that are made in football between the players and the fans. And I also think there's a lot of art in sport and football anyway – from the stadium's architecture and the football kits and the banners and the football. There's so much design that goes into it, which is why I love it. I grew up really enjoying football memorabilia as well. So yeah, I really enjoy that link between between football and art.

What part of the installation are you most excited for fans to see?
I think I'm most excited for them to come into the larger-scale piece in the Fanzone. It's gonna be really big, and they'll be able to just walk in and almost be immersed in the whole journey. And that's kind of how we did it, you know, you walk in, and you can really see that journey that we take to get to London, which is on the final wall.

The installation is up in Trafalgar Square. How does it feel to see your designs and artwork come to life in such an iconic attraction? 
It’s really exciting. To be able to see my work in Trafalgar Square alone is just incredible. And I hope that it can inspire some younger kids who might not think that that's even a possibility this actually could happen.

So aside from that, what other message or feelings do you hope that fans will take away from the entire installation?
I hope that they take away the feeling of excitement and joy, and just that kind of connectivity – I hope it really brings people together. And I just really want people to kind of walk away feeling joyful and excited about the sport, in the way that it brings everyone together. 

The installation definitely reflects the multi-sensory experience that football is. So who are some of your favourite artists and designers who have influenced and inspired you?
I've got so many. Gosh, couldn't see Fernard Leger, Joan Mitchell, Wladimir Burliuk, Matisse, and Kandinsky. They're all so different. But I feel like when you put them all together, you kind of see my inspiration and can get that referencing.

An artist is constantly creating – how do you stay motivated?
I always say the best way is just by moving – whether that's physically or metaphorically, I often go running or swimming, or I do weight training or anything to keep my body moving. Because especially being in the art world, it can be incredibly competitive. So mentally, being able to stay on top that way is really, really helpful. But also, metaphorically;  constantly trying to move my work forward. Whether that's through exploring different mediums and practising new techniques and styles, but moving forward.

That's a really good tip. Has collaborating with Expedia Live and the UEFA Champions League influenced your perspective on arts and sports in general?With the team that I’ve worked with, I've realised that, especially in football, there's a real standard that needs to be kept there. I feel like I really, really pushed myself in this project in every aspect of it. There was a standard for me to uphold, and it made me work hard, but in the best way. And the team cared and wanted the best outcome of this. They wanted it to become a really special piece, and they allowed me to be creative and get my vision across, which I really appreciated.

Can you tell us about any other projects you have coming up?
There are quite a few things, but I don't know if I'm allowed to say them! But there’s lot coming up this year, and quite a bit in sport, as well as food. So yeah, quite exciting!