Spazio Amanita is currently running the final days of their large group exhibition introducing an exciting selection of 23 international artists, many of which we've featured on our physical and/or virtual pages. Co-curated by Jacob Hyman and the gallery owner Caio Twombly, The Loneliest Sport comprises works specially created for this presentation, exclusively concerning the sport of boxing.

Working around the sexual and gender ironies of combat sports, especially boxing, the space is dominated by a real boxing ring and had hosted a series of sparing matches. This performance aspect of the show is adding a sense of actuality and relevance to the works that showcase different aspects of the sport, from portraying its fallen heroes (Mr Starcity), to depicting the iconic gear used (Rebecca Ness). Arguably the most intriguing part of this presentation is seeing how different artists approached the subject, staying in line with their practice but including new elements set by the curatorial prospect. And while the likes of Julian Pace or Alic Brock had featured the icons of the sport in their past, it's interesting to see the likes of Eva Beresin adding a pair of boxing gloves to her self-portraiture-based images, Travis Fish shifting his focus to the other type of garments rather than shirts and sweaters, or Deborah Brown introducing shadow boxers to her now-signature shadow paintings.

With over 1000 people in attendance throughout the opening evening and live fights organized by a group of NYU Ph.D. students who have created a trans boxing gym, the presentation certainly brought something new to the scene. Installed in the space for the duration of the show, the lone boxing ring provides an interesting sculptural and performance element to the exhibition, providing a great starting point to interrogate boxing and the prejudices around it, as the main drive behind this presentation. —Sasha Bogojev