Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait

A landmark video installation examines soccer icon Zinédine Zidane through the lens of contemporary portraiture, spectacle and sustained observation. Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait is on view May 20 through July 19 at The Bass in Miami Beach, timed to coincide with FIFA World Cup 2026 activity in Miami. Created by artists Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno, the work turns a single soccer match into a 90-minute study of presence, performance and public attention.

The two-channel film installation was recorded during a 2005 match at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where 17 synchronized cameras followed Zidane for the full duration of play. Instead of tracking the ball or the broader action on the field, the cameras remain fixed on Zidane’s movements, gestures and expressions, allowing a portrait to emerge through real time rather than biography.

Projected across two large screens, the installation contrasts cinematic editing with closer, more observational footage. Stadium sounds, Spanish television commentary and an original score by Mogwai shape the viewing experience, shifting between the roar of public spectacle and moments of inward focus. The result is a meditation on how modern icons are seen, magnified and remembered.