This was an idea I had for my cousin David’s 40th birthday. He loves Spain and most things Spanish (would that make him a Spancophile?!); he was once mistaken for Ricky Martin several years ago when holidaying there, but that is another story! When getting together we would often play Pro Evolution Soccer on the Playstation 3 and recreate many ‘El Clasico’ matches (with David being Barcelona to my Real Madrid). Most of the games were scrappy, panicky encounters with David (largely) hoofing the ball into row X shouting “Away, away!” rather excitedly – hence the Spanish text on the stamp – instead of playing it out in the cultured manner that is the Barcelona way.
The stamp displays the back of a Barcelona shirt baring the name of David’s Spanish alter ego, “Daxter” – after the Catalan saint of lost wallets and misplaced mobile phones – and number (his birthdate) – in the current Barcelona team shirt font. The head and shoulder shot (taken at a family wedding*) was then given the ‘iconic footballer’ treatment. It is finished with a perforated border and distressed ’40th Anniversary/FC Barcelona’ franking mark to add a little authenticity.
The finished artwork was printed as an 18 x 20 giclée stretched canvas with matt varnish.
*Photograph courtesy of Norman Brand.
