Art of the Olympians (AOTO) is an organization and program of Olympian and Paralympian artists that promotes the Olympic ideals of values, integrity, character, respect, honor, and work ethic through exhibitions and educational programs. [1] It puts on traveling exhibitions, runs workshops, organizes talks at schools, [2] [3] to show and discuss the connection between sport, art, and the Olympics. AOTO previously operated a museum.
AOTO is a program of the non-profit Al Oerter Foundation. [4]
Art of the Olympians was founded in 2006 by American Olympic gold medalist discus thrower and artist Al Oerter, who died in 2007. [5] [6] In 2006, the organization put on a touring exhibition of Art by Olympians. [7] Art of the Olympians put on an exhibition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. [8] AOTO also held a 2008 exhibition at the Rauschenberg Gallery, Edison College in Fort Myers, Florida. [9]
In January 2010, the organization opened the Art of the Olympians Museum and the Al Oerter Center for Excellence in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
In February 2010 Art of the Olympians held an exhibition at the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. In 2011, graphic artist and former long jumper Bob Beamon became the CEO of the Art of the Olympians Museum and Gallery. [15] [16]
During the 2012 London summer Olympics AOTO held two international exhibitions in the United Kingdom. The first was held at the University College of London and the second was held in Torbay on the south coast of England. [5] [17] [18] [19]
On July 16, 2013, CEO Bob Beamon released an open letter directed to the museum's board announcing his resignation. On July 17, after 3 and a half years, the Art of the Olympians museum and the Al Oerter Center for Excellence closed its doors. [20] [21] On the AOTO website they posted an announcement: "It's time to reorganize and restructure the foundation. A new direction focused on National and International Exhibitions programs will further the vision of the founder." Cathy Oerter, Al Oerter's widow, is currently the CEO of Art of the Olympians. [22]
In December 2015, Roald Bradstock became the Executive Director of the Al Oerter Foundation (AOF) and Art of the Olympians. [23] And on December 2, Prince Albert ll of Monaco became the Trustee of the Al Oerter Foundation [24] and Art of the Olympians.
In March 2016, Bradstock was interviewed on BBC Radio Two and then CNN International World Sport. He announced that AOTO was marking their ten-year anniversary by launching a global campaign and search for new Olympian and Paralympian artists.
On April 25, 2017, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach appointed Bradstock to the Olympic Culture and Heritage Commission. [25]
On September 12, 2018 The World Olympians Association (WOA) announced the formation of a new WOA Arts Committee called "OLY Arts". Roald Bradstock was appointed the Chair of the new Committee. Fellow AOTO artists Emanuela Pierantozzi and Shane Gould joined Bradstock on the Arts Committee along with WOA President Joël Bouzou, WOA Executive Committee Member Natalie Cook and Olympian artists Pat Burgener (musician) and Takahiro Fujimoto (actor). Diane de Coubertin - granddaughter of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games - and Francis Gabet, Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage were the final two other Committee members.
Numerous Olympians and Paralympians have contributed works to the foundation: [26]
The foundation has a board of directors: [29]
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Gustave Caillebotte was a French painter who was a member and patron of the Impressionists, although he painted in a more realistic manner than many others in the group. Caillebotte was known for his early interest in photography as an art form.
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Alfred Oerter Jr. was an American athlete and a four-time Olympic Champion in the discus throw. He was the first athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games. Oerter is an inductee of the IAAF Hall of Fame.
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Richard Aldrich Babka was an American discus thrower. A former world record holder, Babka also won a silver medal in the discus event at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
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Arne Roald Bradstock is an Olympic athlete and an Olympic artist from England who competed in the men's javelin throw event during his career. He twice represented Great Britain at the Summer Olympics: 1984 and 1988. In 1992 he was an alternate for the GB Olympic Team and in 1996 was an alternate for the USA Olympic team. Bradstock competed in the 2000, 2004, 2008 USAT&F Olympic Trials and then, for his 8th and final time at age 50, the 2012 UK Olympic Trials where he came second.
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Lucia Medzihradská is a Slovak former alpine skier who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1988 Winter Olympics, 1992 Winter Olympics, and 1994 Winter Olympics. She studied Theory of Culture and Fine Art and is a photographer, graphic designer and creates artwork using digital and mixed media. She is also an artist with works on display with the Art of the Olympians.
The Reincarnation of a Surfboard is a body of sculpture work created by Ithaka Darin Pappas. The project, which began in 1989 consist of approximately 300 wall-mounted sculptures that have been made using recycled surfboards as raw building material. The series to date has been exhibited on four continents. The most recent solo exhibitions of these works were mesa hosted by WOA - Way Of Arts in Cascais, Portugal in December 2012, by Hurley International in Costa Mesa, California in October 2013 and F+ Gallery in Santa Ana in February 2015.
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