Sport, politics and Cantona in the "The Art of The Game" author's words

Michael Brown's name made headlines in 1996 when he created one of, if not the most, famous paintings on the subject of football, "The Art of The Game". A giant neoclassical tapestry with a Christological version of Eric Cantona in the centre, a redemption after the karate kick he used to knock down a Crystal Palace fan on the sidelines. Thus was born an artistic relationship between the iconic French footballer and the English artist that has now led, after more than 20 years, to an exhibition at the National Football Museum in Manchester, the perfect setting for Browne's monumental and imaginative canvases. This time he drew inspiration from his sporting heroes, who used their positions to champion social change despite the high personal cost. The themes are bold: human rights, equality, injustice, the impact of power and the elevation to divinity.

To mark the exhibition, the guys at Stunner caught up with the author for a long interview for the first episode of their new YouTube channel, covering the importance of activism in sport, the impact of politics on art and the role of footballers in society. These are topics that have come increasingly into focus in recent years and which Browne covers extensively in his work. He is not afraid to openly take sides against FIFA, the new owners from the USA and the Middle East and the multinational companies that pollute the most beautiful sport in the world. A philosophy that could well find support in that of Eric Cantona, who has decided to support this quest for the beauty of football.

The full videointerview is available on Stunner's YouTube channel.