Interview Marcus Marritt

 

Who is Marcus Marritt?

An illustrator and designer. 

 

Where do you reside? 

Leicester, England.

 

Which athlete you get out of bed for to watch? And why?

Rafael Nadal. He is a brilliant mix of skill, determination, power and fitness. Plus to see what colours he is wearing that day.

 

Which sports team gets your blood pumping? And why?

International Rugby. I do love football, but there is an intensity and excitement to International Rugby, especially the Six Nations. Power and skill on show at the highest possible level.

 

Do you play sports yourself? 

Yes. Football, cricket, running and the gym.

 

Who’s your favourite artist? And why?

Saul Bass. When I first saw his title sequences and then discovered his range of work it made me fall in love with great design. Everything he produced from poster art to logo design clearly has so much thought and craft.

 

What was the key moment your love for art grew?

The first film I saw at the cinema was Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I was only 6, but I remember so much feeling like I was being taken on a visual adventure. Films and animation are a big inspiration for me.

 

How did your love for sports come about?

The World Cup of Italia 90. I cried when England got knocked out. I fell in love. 

 

When did sport become a subject of your own art?

Subconsciously sport, and the art of design within sport, has been influencing my work for some time, however in terms as a visual consequence of my work it has only been the past 3 years.

 

What is Marcus Marritt’s style?

Clean and colourful. 

 

If people want to see your work in real life: where do they have to go?

You can visit my main site, showcasing both client work and personal work.  There is also my print shop. I do pop up in gallery shows around the world. 2015 includes a Tom Hanks movie show at Galleries1988 in LA, plus a football themed show at The Moosey Art Gallery in Norwich, UK. I am also head of design at UG-KC, a football culture social enterprise clothing label.

 

What is your favourite sport artwork you made? (add selfie with the work if possible to use as picture to add to interview)

My recent Andrea Pirlo portrait is a personal favourite. Also my Eric Cantona print is a fave. 

 

Which sport, sports team or athlete has always been on your mind, and is on the list to make a work of?

The list is forever growing, though I’d  have to say George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton. It is far to easy to forget the legends of sport and focus too much on the here and now. 

 

Which sport artist/colleague of yours do we have to check out?

Stanley Chow and Daniel Nyari.

 

Julius Caesar used to say (freely translated): “Give the people bread and games, and they will be quiet.” If you were Julius for a day, wanted to keep everybody relaxed, what food and which games would you give them?

Food – crumpets with nutella and blueberries. Games – Mario Kart on the SNES.

 

When I say Art Loves Sport, what’s the first thing that pops up in your mind?

Art allows us to realize the truth of sport – the timeless perfection of human endeavor.