Art UK has updated its cookies policy. By using this website you are agreeing to the use of cookies. To find out more read our updated Use of Cookies policy and our updated Privacy policy.

Untitled (Single Roman, Single Luton Fan)

© Keith Coventry. DACS 2024. Image credit: University of Warwick

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

This pair of oil paintings is part of a series of works which Keith Coventry describes as 'abstract history paintings'. Listening to the stories of football hooligans, Coventry became aware that with each retelling of their story the protagonist elaborated their tale, making themselves appear more heroic. He cross-referenced this behaviour with the way Romans fought and told their tales of battle. Hence we have one part of the work with the inscription on gold at the bottom: 'A SINGLE LUTON FAN HELD AT BAY THE ATTACKING MILLWALL FANS, MARCH 1985' and 'A SINGLE ROMAN, HORATIUS, HELD AT BAY THE ETRUSCAN ARMY OF LARS PORSENA, 6TH CENTURY BC'. Coventry arrived at the conclusion that the certainties of history are an illusion. That over time a new version of events is created by the central characters of each event and this elaboration continues with each telling until the event has become more fiction than fact.

University of Warwick

Coventry

Title

Untitled (Single Roman, Single Luton Fan)

Date

1993

Medium

oil on canvas with gold leaf

Measurements

H 84.5 x W 59 cm;
H 84.5 x W 59 cm

Accession number

wu0739

Acquisition method

presented by the Contemporary Art Society, 1996

Work type

Painting

Tags

See a tag that’s incorrect or offensive? Challenge it and notify Art UK.

Help improve Art UK. Tag artworks and verify existing tags by joining the Tagger community.

Normally on display at

University of Warwick

Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, Coventry, West Midlands CV4 7AL England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue

Topics