A magnificent piece of art now celebrates a world-class volleyball talent! On Sunday, September 7, an impressive mural depicting Isabelle ‘Bella’ Haak was completed and officially revealed in her native Ängelholm. This striking artwork adorns a prominent building façade in the heart of Ängelholm, situated beside the city park and the bustling main thoroughfare, Storgatan.
The masterpiece was brought to life by the globally acclaimed street artist Zabou, who commenced work the previous Wednesday. Its inauguration took place on Sunday during a public ceremony attended by many.
“I truly admire this depiction of Isabelle. She exudes confidence and looks forward, perhaps envisioning the future. It was a wonderful sentiment to capture,” remarked Zabou, as reported by the regional newspaper Helsingborgs Dagblad.
Haak herself, joining the event remotely via video link from Italy – where she is currently preparing for the upcoming season with her team, reigning champions Imoco Volley Conegliano – expressed her gratitude and feelings about the tribute.
The Swedish Volleyball Federation was represented at the celebratory event by board member Rolf Bernro.
A Homage from Her Home City
The idea for this mural originated from the Ängelholm Municipality, keen to honor their globally recognized athlete. The municipality declared:
“This mural serves as a public homage to Isabelle Haak and a means of showcasing public art. More profoundly, it symbolizes the strength derived from ambitious dreams, diligent effort, and remaining humble even with a spike reach exceeding 3.20 meters – a potent emblem for women`s sports in Ängelholm.”
An Ambassador for Her Sport and Community
Such a tribute is genuinely remarkable. It marks the first time a Swedish volleyball player has been recognized in such a profound manner by their hometown. The mural further underscores the growing prominence of volleyball and its athletes within Sweden, signaling increased national recognition and esteem.
Beyond her status as a global volleyball icon, ‘Bella’ is an outstanding ambassador for the sport and for Ängelholm. Her hometown, through the local club EVS (Engelholms VS), boasts a rich volleyball heritage, a tradition the municipality is keen to emphasize.
This mural is the most recent manifestation of that dedication. Another significant event was the CEV European Golden League Final Four, successfully hosted at Ängelholm’s impressive Catena Arena on June 28-29. This collaboration involved the municipality, Visit Skåne, Backahills Sport & Evenemang, EVS, and the Swedish Volleyball Federation. The tournament transformed into a veritable celebration of volleyball, attracting unprecedented numbers of spectators for the Swedish women’s national team’s matches over two consecutive days.
This national team recently achieved a 19th-place finish in their inaugural appearance at the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship and is slated to compete in a historic EuroVolley on home turf in Gothenburg next year.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood