Reimagining clothing as a moving canvas through Acrylic Fusion.
Reimagining clothing as a moving canvas through Acrylic Fusion.
With anticipation building ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, Scottish contemporary artist Craig Black unveils Atlético Fusion — a visionary art project translating his signature Acrylic Fusion technique from canvas to fabric.
The project reimagines what football apparel — and clothing more broadly — can be when art, culture, and storytelling collide. More than a football shirt, Atlético Fusion explores the idea of clothing as a moving canvas, where colour, texture, and energy shift with the body, allowing art to be lived, worn, and experienced in everyday life.
At the heart of the project is Craig Black’s belief that wearable art is a mindset — a way for art to exist beyond walls, embedding itself into identity, culture, and human expression.
A Case Study in Wearable Art
Presented through a conceptual football shirt and fictional club, Atlético Fusion demonstrates what’s possible when original artwork is thoughtfully translated into wearable form.
Acting as a creative proof point, it shows how Acrylic Fusion can retain its depth, movement, and emotional energy when applied to fabric.
The result is a garment designed to exist both on and off the pitch: a cultural object that reflects ambition, imagination, and individuality, and illustrates how art can help tell richer stories through product.
From Canvas to Clothing
The Atlético Fusion shirt originates from a unique, hand-poured Acrylic Fusion artwork. Using Craig’s distinctive process, layers of colour interact organically, creating fluid motion and captivating visual energy.
That original artwork was then meticulously adapted for fabric, ensuring the textures and rhythm of the piece live within the garment as it moves with the wearer. The process highlights how Studio Craig Black specialises in translating art into new formats without losing its soul — whether applied to clothing, objects, packaging, or environments.
Personal Connection & Creative Journey
For Craig, Atlético Fusion is deeply personal — a way of sharing his own story.
Football was his first love and creative outlet. As a child, he expressed emotion through sketching long before discovering painting, eventually pursuing a career as a professional footballer. Experiencing the sport from the inside gave him a deep understanding of its culture, identity, and emotional power.
Those early drawings and lived experiences have since evolved into an international artistic practice spanning global brand collaborations, live performances, and exhibitions. Atlético Fusion brings that journey full circle — uniting Craig’s passion for football with his distinctive Acrylic Fusion technique.
Storytelling Through Wearable Art
Designed to be gender-inclusive, Atlético Fusion challenges traditional boundaries between sport, fashion, and fine art. It demonstrates how wearable art can communicate values, identity, and cultural relevance — offering a new way to express who we are and what we stand for.
At its core, the project reflects a simple belief:
Art lives beyond walls, and football inspires far beyond the pitch.
Both are powerful cultural languages, capable of telling human stories through movement, emotion, and imagination.
Artist Quote
“Atlético Fusion isn’t about a football shirt — it’s about possibility. It shows how my Acrylic Fusion technique can live on the body and become part of someone’s identity. This is wearable art as storytelling, where creativity moves, evolves, and connects with people.”
— Craig Black
A Timely Cultural Moment
Arriving as the world looks toward a FIFA World Cup hosted across the USA, Mexico, and Canada, Atlético Fusion reflects the growing intersection of sport, fashion, and culture on a global stage.
For Craig Black — a former professional footballer and proud Scot — the project also carries personal significance, aligning with Scotland’s return to the World Cup and reinforcing his vision to bring fine art into new environments, expanding its relevance across industries, communities, and cultures.
About Craig Black
Craig Black is an internationally recognised contemporary visual artist known for his signature Acrylic Fusion technique — a hand-poured paint process that creates mesmerising, fluid artworks. He specialises in telling brand stories through his art. His work spans fine art, commercial collaborations, live performances, installations, and experiential design. Craig has collaborated with leading global brands and continues to push the boundaries of how art can live in the world.
Studio Craig Black
Email: hello@craig.black
Website: https://craig.black/
Instagram: @_CraigBlack
LinkedIn: Craig Black
