Joe CapozziCultural Council exhibit sets the mood for upcoming World Cup soccer matches in Miami.
Skateboarders, the soccer star Messi, polo players and gym rats are about to team up with other professional and amateur athletes in an unusual setting — an art exhibit in downtown Lake Worth Beach.
“Kinetic Energy” opens Thursday night at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County’s main gallery as a celebration of the artistry of sports through the eyes of 14 Palm Beach County-based artists.
The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission in recognition of the upcoming FIFA World Cup games in Miami this summer.
But the images go far beyond soccer and the majesty of Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami star captured in a vibrant painting by West Palm Beach artist Kyle Lucks, who also contributes two polo paintings to the exhibit.
Among the 25 images are triathletes in action painted by Robbie Potter of Loxahatchee; figurative portraits of gym coaches by Anna Villa of Boca Raton; whimsical images of cats depicted as boxers by George Bayer of Lake Worth Beach; and free-solo rock climber Alex Honnold by North Palm Beach’s Dan Remmel.
“My vision for Kinetic Energy was to show artists exploring the beauty of motion and to show the energy, power and grace of all types of sport,” said Jessica Ransom, the council’s director of artist services.
There are also cyclists, ballerinas and an abstract interpretation by artist Allan Creary of onetime Chicago Bulls teammates Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen.
“From skateboarding and swimming to, of course, soccer, guests will be immersed in how athleticism reflects perseverance, competition and human aspiration,” Ransom said.
The exhibit was in the wheelhouse of Lucks, known for vibrant paintings of sports figures, including one of Coco Gauff that the tennis star bought after seeing it online.
“I jumped on it,” he said after seeing the Cultural Council’s “Kinetic Energy” call to artists. “I was happy to see this one was a sports theme, which is few and far between.”
The opening reception for Kinetic Energy will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Thursday at the Cultural Council’s headquarters in downtown Lake Worth Beach. Attendees are asked to RSVP here.
Live music will be provided by guitar, bass and vocal sibling duo Cris & Alex.
The exhibition will run in the council’s main gallery, 601 Lake Ave., through June 12 during public hours.
Sponsors include the Tourist Development Council, the Palm Beach County Commission, the Florida Division of Arts & Culture, Florida Weekly, WLRN and Palm Beach Media Group.
Featured artists
Betty Armstrong, Lake Worth Beach
Bruce Bain, Jupiter
George Bayer
Harold Caudio
Barbara Cobo, Lake Worth Beach
Allan Creary, Riviera Beach
Anthony “Tony” Kolens, Palm Beach Gardens
Kyle Lucks, West Palm Beach
Robbie Potter, Loxahatchee
Judith Rae, Riviera Beach
Dan Remmel, North Palm Beach
Michael “Mike” Silverman, Delray Beach
Anna Villa, Boca Raton
Brian Wood, Palm Beach Gardens
Joe Capozzi is an award-winning reporter based in Lake Worth Beach. He spent more than 30 years writing for newspapers, mostly at The Palm Beach Post, where he wrote about the opioid scourge, invasive pythons, and Palm Beach County government. For 15 years, he covered the Miami Marlins baseball team. Joe left The Post in December 2020. He publishes the Lake Worth Beach Independent on Substack, covering the town where he lives.
