NEW ARTWORK REVEALED FOR EMIRATES STADIUM
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We are proud to unveil eight new pieces of art that will adorn the Emirates Stadium exterior, transform the north London skyline, and redefine the club’s home as a cultural landmark.
Together with a diverse group of our supporters, Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, critically acclaimed artist Reuben Dangoor and distinguished graphic designer David Rudnick, led the design process during a series of consultations which began in April 2022.
The workshops were designed to curate insight on our heritage, culture and community in order to inspire eight pieces of art, representing what we stand for in 2023 and beyond.
While each piece of art has a different theme, they are unified in celebrating our rich history, community values and relentless pursuit of progress.
The project has only been possible thanks to the contribution of more than 100 supporters, legends and their families and a number of club staff. It began with a blank canvas and harnessed the passion, love and knowledge of our community across the world to create art that would express the pride they have in their club.
Amongst the many supporters who contributed to bringing the new artwork to life were legends of the game including Kelly Smith, and descendants of those who have passed including Jill Armstrong, daughter of George Armstrong, David Rocastle’s family, Lynne Hapgood and Jake Hapgood, daughter and grandson of Eddie Hapgood, Graham Drake and Liam Harding, son and great-grandson of Ted Drake and Reg Lewis’ stepson, Richard Stubbs.
Victoria Concordia Crescit
Victoria Concordia Crescit tells the story of our iconic players who embody the spirit of Arsenal.
Drawing inspiration from the neoclassical style of French revolutionary paintings, Victoria Concordia Crescit celebrates our much-loved legends ready for battle alongside the famous cannons with flags emblazoned with our motto, which translates as Victory Through Harmony.
The cannons have been part of our identity since we were formed by workers at the Royal Arsenal Ordnance Factory in 1886, and Victoria Concordia Crescit has been our motto since our very first season in north London in 1913/14.
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE
Remember Who You Are pays homage to the memories and history of our former home, Highbury.
This stunning representation of the stadium's East Stand – one of football’s architectural masterpieces – is firmly rooted in our DNA with special moments in time featuring some of our greatest players and managers included throughout the artwork.
The name of the piece recalls a quote passed down through generations of our players and is now synonymous with David Rocastle:
“Remember who you are, what you are and who you represent.”
INVINCIBLE
Invincible immortalises two of our greatest glories: the women’s Champions League winning team of 2006/07 and the men’s invincible Premier League season of 2003/04.
Arsène Wenger’s team remain the only side to achieve this feat in the modern era, while Vic Akers’ Gunners are the only British team to lift Europe’s most prestigious club trophy.
‘Invincible’ is a term frequently associated with the legendary men’s team of 2003/04, but this striking artwork celebrates the remarkable invincibility of our women’s team in that 2006/07 season.
The campaign was a stunning ‘quadruple’, combining European glory, with success in both domestic cups and it was also the third of four successive unbeaten, title-winning seasons for the team, highlighting their complete domestic dominance as well as glory in Europe.
COME TO SEE THE ARSENAL
Come To See The Arsenal is a bold, type-based design that celebrates our community roots and will be seen by passengers on southbound trains arriving into London passing Emirates Stadium.
Taking inspiration from Highbury as ‘The Home of Football’, the bespoke typeface creates an impactful design and draws on a strong focus from the workshops to evoke our north London pride.
The typeface is a modified version of our new Northbank font, which draws inspiration from the lettering on Highbury’s East Stand.
EIGHTEEN EIGHTY-SIX
Eighteen Eighty-Six is a bold, type-based design that symbolises our constant pursuit of progress from our founding year in Woolwich through to our courageous move to north London in 1913 and beyond.
Redcurrant and graphic cues on the ‘Always Forward’ scroll are a subtle nod to Highbury, while retro elements within the artwork are inspired by Arsenal iconography, such as the ermine motifs which featured on our historic ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’ crest.
We All FOllow The ARsenal
We All Follow The Arsenal is a rich tapestry inspired by our supporters’ deep connection to the club, wherever they are in the world, from Islington to India and beyond.
Featuring over 150 official supporter groups spanning all continents, the artwork comprises 187 banners and flags in total.
The physical banners are handmade and individually photographed to create the authentic, billowing flag effect.
FUTURE BRILLIANCE
Future Brilliance is inspired by Arsène Wenger’s quote:
“Here you have the opportunity to get out the greatness that is in each of you”
The artwork reflects our commitment to providing opportunities for young players to develop and progress, with our players running into the flag on the left as young hopefuls and emerging as the fully-fledged legends we know and love today.
Iconic Islington architecture is the backdrop to this heroic scene which represents our north London landscape.
It pays homage to our local community and sends an inspiring message to the thousands of young people with whom we regularly engage through a variety of our community projects.
FOUND A PLACE WHERE WE BELONG
Found a Place Where We Belong* will be the ultimate illustrated crowd scene that represents the importance of the Arsenal family. The artwork will bring together 721 supporters who have contributed to our success, given so much to the community and followed us through thick and thin.
Bespoke flags and banners, which were handmade in Woolwich, featuring terrace anthems sung throughout the ages will be woven into the artwork.
The name of the piece is inspired by Dennis Bergkamp’s quote:
"When you start supporting a football club, you don't support it because of the trophies, or a player, or history, you support it because you found yourself somewhere there; found a place where you belong."
*Artwork still in progress
“This has been a fantastic project enabled by so many of the Arsenal family here in Islington and across the world. We genuinely couldn’t have brought this project to life without everyone working together and giving their passion and dedication to this work.
“The project has brought together our supporters, community, legends and staff as one. It's a real celebration of the Arsenal community, designed for and by the Arsenal family.”
“As an Islington resident for more than 20 years, where Emirates Stadium has been my landscape, I’m so proud to have played a part in this project.
The final artwork is a product of the collaboration and hard work of so many in the Arsenal community and it adds another layer to the rich history of this iconic corner of north London.”
“It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to work with Arsenal supporters to bring their love and passion for the club to life. I’m a lifelong Gooner so it’s all a bit surreal and this has to go down as one of my favourite projects ever.
“The legends I’ve had the pleasure of drawing are so iconic and they mean so much to me personally. I hope lovers of Arsenal love the work as much as I do.”
“Across the eight pieces of art we hope we've created something for everyone. The type-based designs implement typefaces from a project we've been undertaking with the club and the supporters’ workshops, to craft a set of voices incorporating both patterns and symbols synonymous with Arsenal.
A clean typographic system shows how our values are present not just in the future we are building, but all the way to the club's origins. That aspect of Arsenal resonates so much with every supporter; the perspective of always moving forward whilst celebrating and never forgetting our heritage.”
“It’s an absolute honour to be included in the artwork. Arsenal has always been ahead of the game with regards to the men’s and women’s team. That’s one of the reasons we were able to be so successful because of that support.
“It’s so good for trailblazers and the previous generation of players to be celebrated and recognised in this way. It’s such a proud moment.”
“Arsenal has been such an important part of my life for so long from such a young age as a player and now here I am writing another chapter with the club as an Academy coach.
“To be part of the artwork is really humbling and a big honour for me personally, but it also shows our commitment to developing young players and is a signal to them about seizing opportunities here. That’s a really important message for our young players but also for young people in our community.”
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