Jesse James
On July 30th, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum will officially open its doors. The Museum is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and its debut exhibition will feature the works of late American artist LeRoy Neiman. Mr. Neiman was the official painter of the five Olympic Games from 1972 to 2010. The exhibit will showcase over 100 of Neiman’s Olympic works, which portray iconic American athletes and teams.
Included are paintings and drawings of Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, the 1972 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team, as well as Caitlin Jenner — then competing as Bruce Jenner. The works on display are part of a gift of nearly 200 works to the Museum from the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation. The foundation also offered to lend one of Neiman’s personal easels for the show.
USOPM CEO Christopher Liedel spoke about the exhibition. He stated: “LeRoy didn’t just paint a competition; he painted the buzz surrounding it.” He went on to say, “He painted the stakes and the grandeur of the moment. He painted the ways people come together. And that’s what we think the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic represents. Sports have the power to unit, and adding Neiman’s collection to the Museum was a natural fit.”
Below you will find a few select works from the exhibition. Take a look and look for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum to open on July 30th. In the meantime, keep it locked with The Culture Curators for more from the art department coming very soon.
Photos via Leroy Neiman & Janet Byrne Foundation
