Five Botswanan artists were commissioned to create live paintings of athletes during the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone [1, 2].
The project blends high-performance sports with fine art to document the physical intensity of the competition. By capturing the athletes in real time, the initiative seeks to preserve the event through a medium that emphasizes human anatomy and motion over digital photography.
The artists worked from the stadium stands, translating the speed of the relay races onto canvas. They focused specifically on the movements and the definition of the athletes' muscles as they competed [1, 3]. This approach provides a visceral record of the event that differs from standard athletic photography.
Among the group was artist Joe De, who described the distinction between his work and modern technology. "Cameras and smartphones capture moments like this. Us we capture it using brushes, canvas and paint," De said [1].
The commission involved five artists in total [2]. They were tasked with documenting the 2026 event through a live-painting experience, turning the stadium into a temporary studio where the athletes served as the primary subjects [1, 2].
This artistic documentation took place throughout the competition in Gaborone, utilizing the live environment to capture the raw energy of the World Athletics Relays [1, 3]. The resulting works serve as a permanent record of the athletes' physical exertion and the event's atmosphere.
“"Cameras and smartphones capture moments like this. Us we capture it using brushes, canvas and paint."”
This initiative represents a deliberate pivot toward analog preservation in an era of digital saturation. By commissioning local artists to document a global sporting event, the organizers integrated Botswanan cultural expression into the infrastructure of the World Athletics Relays, elevating the event from a mere competition to a multidisciplinary art project.
