WASHINGTON — The question of what the future of sports looks like is open-ended and can be answered in any number of directions. Technology continues to open up new possibilities; virtual and augmented reality push the boundaries of people’s imaginations. But as sports become more intertwined with every aspect of society, their interactivity and design become more and more ingrained and celebrated.
It is in that vein that Nicole Pinedo’s “The Future of Sports” pop-up exhibition opened last week in an unassuming property at 700 H St. NE. Both heavy on visual impact and interactive participation, it’s a kid-friendly, all-ages kind of playground recently seen at local museums, but designed and constructed by local artists at a fraction of the cost.
It’s also meant to bring the many varied, but often isolated cultures of the District together, in the way that sports uniquely does.
“I was really tired of going anywhere and it being so segregated,” said Pinedo, of D.C. “Why can’t everybody hang out together?”
Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., visitors have a half-hour to explore the space, 30 people at a time. Some rooms are smaller, others larger, but all allow for engagement with the space and the sport being celebrated. A painted track leads you into the upstairs bar area (open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily), but the real action is down below.
From an autograph room to tennis; boxing to cycling; a football arcade and a volleyball pit; to a soccer arena and a basketball court; each has its own distinct feel, look and approach. Pinedo designed most of the rooms herself.
The boxing bags, bright yellow with black designs, were completed by local artist Gabriel D’Elia, while the mural design of the soccer room was done by Matt Corrado. There’s some irony in that — Pinedo leaving the soccer to someone else — given her own background.
Pinedo’s father, Mario Pinedo, is a former Bolivian National Team soccer player who played alongside former D.C. United stars Marco Etcheverry and Jaime Moreno, and competed in the 1994 World Cup. Pinedo grew up a soccer player herself, in Bolivia until age 11, then in Indiana where her father coached, before finally moving to D.C. at age 18.
“The main inspiration, it’s obviously my life and my experience with my dad,” she said.
When Pinedo realized her dream of playing sports was coming to an end, she sought an outlet for her energy. After spending time in the entertainment industry in L.A. as a young adult, she founded Made in the District four years ago. “The Future of Sports” is a physical extension of that project, an attempt to create new experiences for D.C., rather than just write about what others are doing.
When she got the inspiration for this project, she started looking for a space to present it, but couldn’t find one until May. Thankfully, she was able to lean on her small-but-hardworking team of four, with a boost from her father’s construction company to get everything done on time.
Unlike some of the large budget productions that have graced local museums in recent years, this one was constructed on a bootstrap budget, on a seemingly impossibly tight timeline. At a total cost of around $60,000, the entire installation was constructed and put in place from scratch in just four weeks.
“It was a great starting point because I’m from here, I know people here, I have resources here,” she said. “We’ve done a great job. I’m really proud of what we’ve done.”
The hope is just to make enough to cover the construction costs along with rent and labor, and to use the awareness as a springboard for future projects.
“The Future of Sports” runs just for another six weeks or so, through the end of October. If it’s a hit, they might take the exhibition on the road, or move on to one of Pinedo’s several other ideas she’s been sitting on. The future of Pinedo’s work and Made in the District has yet to be written.
“The Future of Sports” is open now through Nov. 30 at 700 H St. Northeast. Tickets are $15, and sponsorships are still available.
