REDEFINING THE SHAPES OF SWIM: Introducing the Sporti Artist Series with Artist Mat Chavez
Moving audiences nationwide with his sense of humor, storytelling and ability to reflect emotion across a variety of mixed mediums, contemporary artist Mat Chavez is taking his abstract portraits to yet another canvas - the world of swim.
Introducing the Sporti x Mat Chavez Collection, the latest partnership in Sporti's recently announced Artist Series, a collection of limited-edition collaborations aimed to spark conversation around diversity, inclusion and mental health awareness.
Inspired by the Cubist, Minimalist and Dada eras, Mat pulls from his love of geometry, symmetry and mathematics to break down organic shapes, creating designs that he hopes inspire you to see your world just a little differently.
"I was inspired by the figures you see, which I call my family tree. I gravitate towards African culture and the use of masks to tell a story and not conceal one's feelings. I’ve reinterpreted facial features to showcase this, while creating geometric shapes that combine my love for math and symmetry. The result are these fun, cooky, happy and sometimes, sad figures that people can relate to, " says Mat.
The Designs
From Backstroke Beauties to Chlorine Machines, Favorite Things to Nice to Sea You, each design in Mat's collection has a story to tell, reflecting human emotions and inspiring individuality through the cartoon-like creations.
"In a sea of people, you can often be overlooked and you can get lost in the sea, but not in this case. With Backstroke Beauties, I put digital textiles on each of the swimmers in this print, showcases their own individuality and uniqueness, which is something I embrace," says Mat.
In the more masculine version of the print, Chlorine Machines, Mat says "we all tend to carry the weight of whatever our burdens or strengths could be on our shoulders. And therefore, we always have a story to tell, whether it’s happy or sad…the best way to showcase that in an image is to always have a displaced jaw."
The Sporti x Mat Chavez Collection is proud to support and donate a portion of proceeds to the It Gets Better Project, a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.
The Sporti x Mat Chavez Collection ranges from $27.95 - $39.95 and is available in competitive swim sizing 22Y - 40 (accommodating approximately sizes Youth 6/7 to Adult XL), sold exclusively at www.swimoutlet.com.
