The Triangle

Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Jim Lommasson

"Ever since I was born, I've been fighting for my life," reads the back wall of the first-floor gallery at the Painted Bride Art Center. The great boxer Sonny Liston's words survive beyond his mysterious death at the height of his career, and also sum up the professions of those who toil in his stead.

Photographer Jim Lommasson's work currently occupies the room with photos from his book "Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms." Nov. 7 marked the opening of his exhibit "American Fight Clubs" at the Painted Bride Art Center's "First Friday" reception in Old City.

For 10 years, Lommasson traveled across the country seeking out our nation's most prestigious boxing homes. Often found in the roughest neighborhoods of the city, these places serve as centers of discipline and perseverance. These experiences were pictorially compiled in "Shadow Boxers: Sweat, Sacrifice & the Will to Survive in American Boxing Gyms" along with essays from some of the country's best boxing writers.

Photos at Lommasson's exhibit depict on a personal level the dingy sanctuaries where fighters are chiseled into champions. Exposures include those of unfinished stairwells and training facilities throughout urban America. In these community dedicated sweat shops, young boxers beat away at punching bags and hone technique. Next to a photo of a boxer's hands wrapped and ready for combat hangs a shot of boxer Yusef Mack sitting in a room at Philadelphia's legendary Blue Horizon, acclaimed by Sports Illustrated as the last boxing venue in the country.

While mainline, professional Philadelphia sports have been tainted until recently by "The Curse of Billy Penn," fans often fail to realize the prominence of our city's history as a boxing capital of the nation. Bernard Hopkins, one of the greatest in the business, continues to beat down acclaimed champions at the age of 43. Other historic Philadelphia boxers include names like Randall Cobb and Tyrone Crawley. Many of Lammasson's photos pay tribute to Philadelphia landmarks such as the Blue Horizon and Champ's Gym. It was in these places, now considered a dying breed, that some of the sport's biggest names were forged.

The Painted Bride Art Center is located on Vine Street between Second and Third streets and houses the Gerry Givnish Theater in addition to its galleries. An appropriate venue for Lommasson's work, Painted Bride prides itself with promoting awareness of contemporary social issues through the arts. Lommasson's "American Fight Clubs" is scheduled to remain at the Painted Bride between now and Dec. 5.

"First Friday" takes place the Friday of every month when various art galleries, mostly between Front and Third streets as well as Market and Vine streets, encourage arts enthusiasts to come out and mingle. Hot, new collections and receptions are held among venues and generally last from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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