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.
Exhibition Title: Unstoppable: Improbable Olympic Stories as seen through Contemporary Paintings
Artist: Steven Lester
Number of Works: 16 large-scale narrative paintings
Sizes: Various sizes of 2D Mixed media paintings (2' x 8', 3' x 6', 4' x 5')
Accompanying Content: Written narratives, video interview with artist, in situ exhibition images, testimonials
Availability: Traveling exhibition available for 2025 and beyond
Fee: No exhibition fee requested; only shipping/transport costs
Ideal Venues: Fine art museums, sports museums, universities, cultural centers
Previous Venues: United States Sports University & American Sport Art Museum (Mobile, AL) | RobertKent Art Gallery, Marietta GA, | Association of Visual Arts, Chattanooga, TN | NOTE: Steven was invited to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo to stage this solo exhibition at the prestigious Tokyo American Club. Due to concerns over COVID-19, unfortunately, a state of emergency was imposed in the host city and the exhibition was cancelled.
“Blind Archer” Im Dong Hyun: A blind man who can hit the bullseye every time. Acrylic and paper collage on cradled panel, 44 x 40 in
“Father of Modern Olympics” Pierre de Coubertin: Visionary founder of the International Olympic Games Acrylic and wood, 32 x 42 in
“Native American Warrior” Jim Thorpe: Native American athlete who had his gold medals stripped from him. Acrylic with gold leaf on canvas, 30 x 40 in
“Race Against Hate” Jesse Owens: The Master Athlete that Humiliated the Master Race. Acrylic on Canvas, 40 x 40 in
“Race to Greatness” Wilma Rudolph: From paralysis to the fastest woman in the world. Acrylic on Canvas, 36 x 52 in
“Refuge in the Water” Yusra Mardini: Olympic Swimmer for the Refugee Team Acrylic on Canvas, 36 x 52 in
“Running for His Life” Lopez Lomong: From South Sudanese lost boy to flag-bearer for the US Olympic Team. Acrylic and collage on canvas panel, 68 x 33 in
“Soaring to New Heights” Simone Biles: Overcoming adversity and pushing the limits of athleticism Acrylic and paper collage on cradled panel, 42 x 54 in
“Persevering through Pain” Shun Fujimoto: The gymnast who stuck his dismount with a broken knee. Acrylic and paper collage on cradled panel, 52 x 45 in
“Take a Deep Breath” Michael Phelps: The most Olympic medals of all time came with its fair share of difficulties. Acrylic and Epoxy Resin on Canvas , 24 x 48 in
“Leaping Over History” Alice Coachman: The first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Acrylic on canvas , 42 x 54 in
“Eric the Eel” Eric Moussambani: The swimmer who had never seen an Olympic-sized pool. Acrylic on canvas , 24 x 96 in
“Fallen Runner” Derek Redmond: The fallen runner who exemplified the Olympic spirit. Acrylic on canvas. 36 x 72 in
“Straining Against Adversity” Brody Malone: The gymnast who beat came back from a career ending injury Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 42 in
“Olympic Picasso” Roald Bradstock: Improbable Olympic athlete and artist. Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 44 in