The Flair Olympic Statue

The Flair Olympic Statue is situated in the Georgia World Congress Center complex, just east of the Georgia Dome. Artist Richard MacDonald built the sculpture to honor the athletes in the 1996 Olympics which were held in Atlanta. MacDonald gifted the statue to the city and it was dedicated just prior to the opening of the games on July 8, 1996.

The monument "Flair Across America" monument that resides in Atlanta, Georgia celebrates the Olympic Games in 1996, but its origins can be traced back to the 1984 Olympic Games. Richard MacDonald, the sculptor, painted athletes on commission for the Olympics₁. One of the paintings produced was The Gymnast in 1983; which McDonald retired after creating a maquette to gain more precision with his renderings of gymnasts' anatomy for his paintings_1. MacDonald's 1983 painting would reemerge for the 1996 Games after he was commissioned to sculpt a bronze statue for the Olympics held in Atlanta. The project was stalled after no one could figure out what or who would be the subject of the bronze sculpture. Well, MacDonald, inspired by his own painting, decided to create a 26-foot-statue from his painting, with one ring above. The technique or move that the sculpted gymnast performs is known as the Thomas Flair, pioneered by World Champion gymnast, Kurt Thomas₂. Although he is not the first person to perform this stunt on the pommel horse, he is the first to perform the move during the International competition circuit; therefore, as is tradition, the move is named after him. 

The intention of the creation of the sculpture is to explore the values of ancient Greece.

"The tradition of art and sport date back to the ancient Olympiads. Athletes were immortalized in sculpture. The ancient Greeks believed in the harmony of the intellect, body and spirit, all acting as one to achieve the fullest potential of the individual. This monument, which I titled "Flair Across America," has all of that_1."

Indeed, the statue embodies the symbolism and purpose of the Games. According to "Flair Across America," The ring that the gymnast grasps with his hand stands for the hope that unity is within reach for humanity, as well as perfection in all things. The sculpture was created with the purpose of celebrating "dedication, desire, determination" of athletes--and of all people--in the pursuit of excellence_1." MacDonald asserts that the sculpture upholds the Olympic credo from father of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin: "The essence lies not in the victory, but in the struggle"_1.  This credo imbues the monument with a special meaning as during the 1996 Olympics, Gymnast Kerri Strug injured her ankle during her first vault to carry the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team to victory. She needed to vault one more time to secure the team's chance to compete for the gold medal, and she did it. She vaulted and then landed on both feet, sticking the landing and pulling through for her team, before collapsing onto mat in pain. The Olympics are a time when the world comes together and then it seems as though anything can happen. How apropos is this sculpture!

After the completion of this sculpture, MacDonald with the sculpture would travel from California to Atlanta on a tour to promote the sport of gymnastics and local gymnastics gyms. MacDonald also had the goal of trying to revive national interest in art and art education, specifically children, by exposing the public to the sculpture medium_3. The tour included performances by local gymnasts and MacDonald was greeted by enthusiastic crowds of people_3. It has been two decades since the creation of the sculpture and the Flair Across America tour, but to celebrate the 20th anniversary according to a press release MacDonald released the 20th Anniversary Commemorative collection of The Gymnast and starting in July 2016, there will be exhibitions of MacDonald's work, featuring the paintings and drawings of The Gymnast₄. 

"About." Flair Across America: Triumph of Human Spirit. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Aug. 2016.

"The Lost Decade Of Kurt Thomas Gymnast In Training For Olympic Dream." Chicago Tribunw 20 May 1990. Web. 1 Aug. 2016.

"Flair Across America 1996-2016 Fact Sheet." Flair Across America: Triumph of Human Spirit. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Aug. 2016. 

"Flair Across America Press Release." Richard MacDonald Unveils ‘The Gymnast’ Platinum Collection Exhibitions Showcase ‘Flair Across America’ in Sculpture and Original Drawings. Flair Across America, 14 July 2016. Web. 5 Aug. 2016.