A Court of Stickers
Ronny Quevedo, an Ecuador‑born artist based in New York, brings a distinctly kinetic sensibility to his latest show at Stelo Arts in Portland. Titled ‘scrimmage’, the exhibition interrogates how the visual grammar of sport can become a conduit for cultural commentary, drawing on the artist’s own collections housed in institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art.
At the heart of the installation are the crisp white lines of a basketball court painted across the gallery floor, their geometry extended onto the walls and windows. Visitors are invited to peel adhesive stickers and affix them to the glass, gradually transforming the space into a patchwork of personal marks. The act of sticker‑placement is meant to echo the collective rituals of team sports, turning each participant into both player and creator.
Quevedo’s work does not stop at the present; it reaches back to ancient contests, suggesting that the impulse to organize play is a timeless human thread. By juxtaposing modern games like soccer and basketball with their historic counterparts, the artist highlights a universal language that transcends geography and era.
The participatory element reaches its peak on Saturday, August 1, when the ‘Match’ event invites the public to cover every inch of the venue in stickers from noon until 5 p.m. The gesture is both a performance and a literal filling of space, a living artwork that evolves with each contribution. The installation remains on view through August 8, and admission is free, encouraging anyone to experience the blend of sport, art, and community.
Beyond the immediate visual impact, ‘scrimmage’ reflects on the process of discovery inherent in both athletic and artistic creation. As the stickers accumulate, the once‑blank surfaces become a map of collective intention, reminding viewers that the boundaries of a game — and of a canvas — are constantly being redrawn.