‘VISITORS’ Illustrates the Intersection of Art and Professional Wrestling
As Game Changer Wrestling prepared to make its sojourn to Japan last fall, running a sold-out event at Tokyo’s famed Korakuen Hall, Adam Abdalla was struck with an idea.
A driving force in both art and professional wrestling, Abdalla understood the significance of what was bound to take place in Tokyo. With his creativity spinning, he decided that the entire trip needed to be documented.
“It was a dream experience, so we wanted to do something special,” said Abdalla. “This stood as a chance to find new ways to engage in wrestling and art.”
Abdalla reached out to talented photographer Nick Karp, and the finished project is a masterpiece. Featuring a documentary aspect that is not always covered on the indies, VISITORS is a hardcover book with gripping photos that detail the highs and lows–and everything that took place in between–during GCW’s trip.
“There’s everything from John Wayne Murdoch putting on deodorant in the airport to Joey Janela getting upgraded on his flight,” said Abdalla, who is the publisher and co-curator of VISITORS. “There’s a lot of candid backstage color. More jarring and shocking is the ultraviolet deathmatch imagery. We have a ton of amazing content, and Nick has a knack of capturing the moment, and it is a beautiful book about indie wrestling.”
The images from the 200-page hardcover publication are currently on display at the VISITORS exhibition in New York City. Run by the New Art Dealers Alliance, a non-profit arts organization seeking new voices in contemporary art of which Abdalla is a member of the board, the gallery includes photography and behind-the-scenes video footage.
A roundtable discussion took place on Sunday night, where Janela, Jordan Oliver, Allie Katch, Effy, Jimmy Lloyd, and Brett Lauderdale were among those to discuss their experiences in Japan. The exhibition runs through May 5, and another highlight takes place this week on Thursday at the NADA Art Fair during a public talk with Abdalla, co-curator Reilly Davidson, Karp, and Masha Slamovich.
Slamovich is Ann Khozine, a 25-year-old rising star. She headlined the GCW show at Korakuen Hall, wrestling Rina Yamashita in a gory, bloody deathmatch.
“That was my debut at Korakuen Hall,” said Slamovich. “To have the main event, and then to find out all these pictures were getting taken, it was one of the favorite moments of my career.”
On a roster full of talented performers, Slamovich gave Karp another compelling subject. Her willingness to embrace the bloodshed and carnage led to some outrageous photographs.
“I got the before, the during, and the after one of the most brutal deathmatches,” said Karp. “The night before, Masha did not know she was main-eventing. I got that on camera, too. This was two women headlining Korakuen Hall, and it was bloody and spectacular.”
This was a history-making show for the American independent promotion, so it was fitting that every step of the trip was documented. The series of photos expose different aspects of professional wrestling, none more stunning than Slamovich covered in blood.
“Blood allows me to let loose,” said Slamovich. “The elements of danger and blood amp up my focus. It really brings a crispness to the air. The smell of blood, the feel of it, the look of it–all of it makes me unleashed.”
Abdalla sees unlimited potential with the project. His next goal is to bring the exhibition to Tokyo, ideally when Game Changer Wrestling returns to Tokyo this August in partnership with DDT.
“The GCW schedule is so intense, these talented performers don’t have a lot of opportunity to reflect on their accomplishments,” said Abdalla. “Nick’s photos and exhibition have given them an opportunity to take pause and celebrate what they’ve achieved.”
JUSTIN BARRASSO
Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.