The art of football

Thirteen international artists have put million-euro contracts and club politics aside to look at the role soccer plays for real people around the world. Alvaro Olmos Torrico from Bolivia made a film that shows very little of the game itself. Instead it portrays fans as they follow matches on TV or the radio, as well as musicians playing in the stadiums and energetic commentators.

Simon Gush also takes a humorous approach to the sport, focusing on immigrants kicking a ball on a switch yard in Belgium. The ball constantly gets caught in the tracks, so playing a real match isn't possible. The traveling exhibition takes an ironic look at soccer and the huge effort that goes into making it happen, opening a different perspective on a game that sometimes forgets it's a game.

Zhang Qing stages a home game in the truest sense of the term: In a tiny apartment in Shanghai, two teams attempt to kick a ball into makeshift goals in the kitchen and bathroom. Furniture and shelves make for static obstacles along the way. What might look like a silly diversion is actually a commentary on the way modern cities are becoming full and constricted while green space is disappearing.

In Afghanistan, Lela Ahmadzai has accompanied female soccer players since 2010. Because of the constant safety threats in the country, they wear protective clothing during practice. "They still love to play and raise awareness for women's rights," said the artist, who's lived in Germany for 17 years. "Women in Afghanistan don't have much freedom of movement, but that inspires them to do sports."

Slow-motion, tight shots, hundreds of different camera angles - the media does everything to capture every moment in a game. Artist Michael Wesely does just the opposite, playing with extremely long exposure times on his camera. After the match, he dedicates himself to the fans, as pictured here after the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea in 2012.

After losing an important match, players can comfort themselves in knowing that they were at least able to take part. But for most, only victory counts. Peru's dream is to one day qualify to participate in the World Cup - something they haven't achieved in 30 years. Fernando Gutierrez depicts this hope in his work, "Down with reality! We want utopia."

A street fair? A field of flowers? Muu Blanco's abstract pictures appear colorful and vibrant - but in reality they depict scenes of violence on the playing field. The Venezuelan artist modified photographs of fouls until they could no longer be distinguished. Those who know what's behind the image are stuck with the question: Can violence be beautiful?

In the work of Chilean artist Gianfranco Foschino, football becomes secondary. Instead of going to a stadium, he went to a tiny village. The children in his video project, "The Kids & the Axe," only play briefly with a ball before moving on to something more important: chopping wood. The ball is left in the dust and can easily be overlooked.

The exhibition "The Game Isn't Over Until It's Over" is currently showing in Germany until July 14. Before it has been touring South America. It was opened during the presentation of the German Football Ambassador prize, which goes to Monika Staab this year. Like artist Lela Ahmadzai, Staab takes a particular interest in women's soccer abroad: She currently coaches the women's team in Qatar.