Julie Mehretu’s Stadia I is what I imagine the inside of a wormhole would look like.

What adds more to this phenomenon is that the work itself is about 9 feet by 11.5 feet, so when you stand in front of it, the thing seems to engulf you in a very cool, but slightly alarming, metaphysical hug. But if you focus directly on the black lines then you being to realize why the piece is called Stadia. If you look long enough, you’ll see that this is a stadium. “In her monumental paintings, murals, and works on paper, Julie Mehretu overlays architectural plans, diagrams, and maps of the urban environment with abstract forms and personal notations. The resulting compositions convey the energy and chaos of today’s globalized world.” You can almost feel the vibrations of chants from adoring fans and see their painted faces, flags, and foam fingers. It’s is a scene familiar to countries around the world and represents nationalism, competition, passion and hot dogs. So many hot dogs.

This brilliance of Julie Mehretu is that she can make herself an architect and a painter all in one try. She can also make you, as a viewer, feel as if you are one in a stadium full of thousands. This piece is part of a triptych that “explores themes such as nationalism and revolution as they occur in the worlds of art, sports, and contemporary politics.” This piece would also be a great way to connect with your sports-obsessed peers!