‘Jamaica’ George Foreman Vs. Joe Frazier 1974

Here's LeRoy Neiman’s painting of the heavyweight fight in Jamaica. Look at the speed of the brush and the colours! The pinks, blues, oranges, and reds all thrown together. It feels like Neiman was right there, brush flying, trying to keep up with the punches. You can almost feel the artist’s excitement as he’s trying to capture the energy of the moment, the brutality, and the excitement of the boxing ring. He must have been so focused, trying to get it all down before the moment was lost. The paint’s not too thick, but it’s definitely applied with a kind of urgency, a real physicality. That swipe of red across the ropes, it’s not just paint, it's like he’s hitting the canvas as hard as the boxers hit each other. Neiman’s work always reminds me that painting is alive, it's about feeling, it's about capturing a moment, an emotion, with every brushstroke.