The late 1970s saw the arrival in British football stadiums of the Casuals – teenage football fans with a penchant for designer clothes. This show at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool (5 November–12 March 2023) takes a close look at how this subculture played out. Through more than 100 works, ranging from video installation to paintings and photographs, it reveals how the dress sense of Perry Boys in Manchester or Liverpool Scallies influenced trends in fashion, art and music far beyond the terraces. Works on show include Seana Gavin’s collage Sportswear Nomands II (2020), which presents archival images of young Casuals against unlikely backdrops; Marcus Reed’s Kevin Sheedy Goal, one of his many visual representations of momentous 1980s goals; and pieces by Mark Wallinger and Mark Leckey. Find out more on the Walker Art Gallery’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here
Kevin Sheedy’s goal, Everton v Rapid Vienna, European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, Rotterdam, 1985 (2021–22), Marcus Reed. © Marcus Reed
Harrow Road, Liverpool 5 (1999), Neville Gabie. © Neville Gabie
Sportswear Nomads II (2020), Seana Gavin. Courtesy the artist