When examining the nuances of today’s sporting world, there is no doubt that Greek art effortlessly integrates into the present. One of the more notable works of 2nd century CE is the statue of Pericles with the Corinthian Helmet.
Despite Pericles’s fearless leadership in developing both the Athenian democracy and the Athenian Empire, many hypothesize that Pericles had a physical “weakness” due to his oddly-shaped head. Most of Pericles’s portraits therefore show him wearing his helmet as an attempt to conceal his deformity. It could be true that Pericles had a head that was out of proportion, but I view his obsessive attachment to his helmet as a willingness to never put his guard down: a powerful indication that Pericles is always prepared for battle and life’s uncertainties.
Many athletes today strike the same pose with their helmets, raising the head gear just enough to cover the head but reveal one’s face. Many lacrosse players, for instance, raise their helmets above their head during timeouts or before the game during warmups. One of the images below show professional lacrosse player Ryder Garnsey with his helmet before his game with the California Redwoods. Instead of taking off his helmet completely, he projects a Periclean aura that represents preparedness for battle. Even during breaks between quarters, players frequently keep their helmets on their head transforming the helmet from a mere protective tool into a psychological weapon. In this regard, the lacrosse helmet becomes a contemporary Corinthian, imbuing players with authority on the sporting battleground.
Attempting to creatively replicate Greek art in contemporary contexts, I decided to transform one of my lacrosse helmets into a Corinthian helmet. I mainly focused on achieving dark shading, almond-shaped eyes, nose guard structure, and a large cheek piece -- all elements that can be found in original Corinthian helmets. The images below show my step-by-step process.
And, of course, I had to hit the original Pericles pose.
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