BY OKLA JONES
The NFL is expanding its relationship with the contemporary art world through NFL COLOR FIELD, a new initiative that will debut in Paris this week with a large-scale installation by Louisiana-born artist Jammie Holmes. The project, announced today, will transform a football field beneath the Eiffel Tower into a public artwork ahead of the league's first regular-season game in France.
Presented through NFL Artist Replay, which launched in 2023, COLOR FIELD will feature artist collaborations and public programming in cities hosting major football events. The initiative was conceptualized and curated in partnership with Jasmine Martin, an arts strategist at Pivotal Arts, whose involvement has been instrumental in developing the program.
For its debut, Holmes will reimagine his 2024 painting Untitled, which depicts a child emerging from morning glory flowers. The work explores the passing of time through his experiences watching his sons grow older. Its transformation into a football field offers the artist an opportunity to present his work to an audience outside traditional gallery spaces.
"What drew me in was the chance to take a painting off the wall and put it on a field at that scale, especially under the Eiffel Tower during the NFL's Paris game week," Holmes said. "Most of my work lives in galleries. This felt like a way for people to actually move through the painting."
Holmes, who grew up in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has followed the New Orleans Saints throughout his life. His participation carries additional significance as the Saints prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France on Sunday, October 25. "In Louisiana the Saints are almost a religion," Holmes explained. "Even if you aren't a die hard fan, the team is just in the air on Sundays, the colors, the way the whole state pays attention."
Paris also holds personal significance for Holmes. During a recent stint at the Académie des Beaux-Arts and Cité internationale des arts, he learned that his great-grandfather had served in France during World War I, traveling from Brest to Montmartre. Returning to the city with a public installation offers another connection between his family history and his artistic career. "The residency gave me time to keep painting without the usual pressure of the studio schedule at home," Holmes said. "All the museums and cathedrals taught me to feel with my eyes."
The NFL will also host discussions at NFL House Paris, created with Adobe. On October 23 at 5pm, Holmes will participate in a conversation with former NFL player Keith Rivers and Thomas Moore III, executive director of the American Friends of the Louvre.
Following its Paris debut, COLOR FIELD will travel to Miami during Miami Art Week in December, where the NFL plans another installation alongside programming featuring players and contemporary artists. Participating artists and additional details will be announced later.
"As we bring new art activations to Paris, Miami, Mexico City, Madrid, and beyond - we are creating new opportunities for collaboration and cultural exchange that extend beyond any individual installation," Trombetta said. "We hope to continue establishing a foundation for how the NFL and the contemporary art communities around the globe can work and create together."
