Unstoppable:
The Resilent Spirit of Olympic Athletes
A Traveling Exhibition of Narrative Paintings by Steven Lester
“Unstoppable” is a curated solo exhibition of 16 large-scale narrative paintings that honor the untold stories of Olympic athletes whose resilience and inner strength embody the true Olympic spirit. Created by award-winning artist Steven Lester, this powerful collection goes beyond medals and records, exploring the humanity, sacrifice, and perseverance that define greatness on and off the field of competition.
Each painting is accompanied by a written narrative that invites viewers into the athlete’s journey — celebrating triumph over adversity, the pursuit of excellence, and the heart of the competitor.
"To a casual observer, the Olympics are about the medals. I’m more interested in those whose mettle has been tested." — Steven Lester
“The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at.”
–Jesse Owens
Click the image below to watch the virtual exhibition tour,
"The Olympian Spirit," led by AVA's Chief Curator.
The Olympics have a long and storied history with art. During its early years, 1912 to 1948, art competitions were included in the modern Olympic Games- part of the original intention of the Olympic Movement’s founder, Pierre de Coubertin.
Reuniting the arts and sports again, featured artist Steven Lester, has developed a major series of narrative paintings featuring individual competitors and their corresponding Olympic stories of hardships, determination, and success.
Details. Details. Details.
Steven’s loose, expressive style allows him to interpret the emotion and movement of the moment. His paintings and collages are marked by bold colors, expressive brushwork (as seen in the image details below), often mixing media and incorporating layers, collage elements, textures, drips, splashes and a variety of mark-making tools.
“Steven has the unique ability to animate every brushstroke with palpable verve and kinetic energy that reaches out from the canvas to embrace our senses in a provocative interplay.”
— Art Collector, Atlanta, GA
