Man of the Match

“As a boy I used to play football with a goalpost drawn onto the side of a house; it didn’t matter if we didn’t have a proper pitch or whatever, we would still get into it” -Mackenzie Thorpe

In this Mackenzie Thorpe limited edition print for sale, a single figure stands against a stark white background looking directly out at the viewer. He is dressed in an all black sports uniform and has on dark cleats with white stripes and haphazard, untied laces. The shoes appear to be too big for his feet, suggesting that maybe he is a child standing in his father’s shoes or someone else that he looks up to. In Thorpe’s work, figures with big feet symbolize never forgetting where you came from, no matter how different your life may look in the future. They represent grounding and to remember your roots. It’s easy for your ego to take over and to become full of yourself. Thorpe believes that, “It’s important never to become bigger than your shoes.”

The figure is intentionally left without any distinguishable features as the viewers are meant to use their imagination to relate to this image. He could be a child dreaming that he wants to grow up and be a football player, much like how Thorpe himself dreamed of one day being an artist. Thorpe wants the viewer to feel the same sense of wonder that they felt as a child, regardless of race, background, or favorite sport.

Thorpe draws a lot of inspiration from his own family and experiences as a child. He fondly remembers playing in the streets where he grew up and pretending to be the British football players that he so admired. They may not have had a proper field to use, but they did not let that stop them from having a good time. Many of the neighborhood children only had one pair of trousers and a hat, so they had to use their imaginations to escape to a more exciting world. Thorpe loves the sense of shared community and camaraderie that comes from football. Parents can go to matches with their children, friends are all cheering the same team on, and there’s an overwhelming sense of joy.

Marcus Ashley gallery is one of Lake Tahoe’s premier fine art galleries. With a hundred years of combined experience in the art world, the owners, staff, custom framers, and art consultants all work hard to make their clients’ dreams come true. In addition to numerous Mackenzie Thorpe artworks for sale, Macus Ashley exhibits 40+ of the most renowned artists of our time. The gallery has been locally owned and operated for 18 years, providing luxury customer service, as well as any recommendations for upcoming community events.