Art of the Olympians heading to London: Cathy Oerter and Bob Beamon of the Art of the Olympians talk about the gallery's presence at the London Olympic Games (Video by Andrew West/news-press.com)
A piece of children's art that will hang at the Art of the Olympians exhibit at the University Center of London during next month's Olympics. / Andrew West/news-press.com
Opening Ceremonies
When: Friday
Time: 7:30-midnight
Network: NBC
Exhibit facts
Location: University College London
Size: 36,000 square feet
Number of pieces: 33 paintings, graphic pieces, four sculptures
Number of artists: 25
Notable names on display: Peggy Fleming, Shane Gould, Al Oerter, Bob Beamon
Busy man
Art of the Olympians CEO Bob Beamon has a full itinerary while he’s in London for the Summer Olympics. Here’s a list of events he’s scheduled to attend:
• Sunday: Arrived in London, took a train to Torquay for Art of Olympians exhibit.
• Monday-Wednesday: Take part in a Beyond Sports symposium, of which Beamon is an ambassador. Chairman is former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
• Tuesday: Tour Parliament with the House of Lords; take part in Global Sports Development Symposium on Healthy Sports and the Legacy of Doping.
• Thursday: Invited to benefit gala for the U.S. Olympic Team, hosted by U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun; attend International Olympic Committee Film Screening.
• Friday: Invited to reception at U.S. Embassy with first lady Michelle Obama; attend Art of Olympians Opening at University College of London.
• Saturday: Will host with Cathy Oerter the World Harmony Run, which will include the families of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali and Winston Churchill.
• July 29: Requested by DeVry CEO Daniel Hamburger to attend special reception for U.S. Olympians; invited to dinner at Club Zulu; attend Art of Olympians Poetry and Dance awards ceremony.
• July 31: Attend Florida Visitors & Tourism Bureau event (The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel).
• Aug. 1: Requested by Global Sports Development’s Steven Ungerleider at a speaking event.
• Aug. 2: Invited to New York Athletic Club president’s reception; attend Global Sports Development art contest & Olympians mentorship program.
• Aug. 3: Do interview in Olympic Stadium with BBC.
• Aug. 4: Attend Olympians get-together.
• Aug. 6: Attend an evening with Carl Borack, a former Olympian, who’s now a filmmaker.
• Aug. 8: Attend a tribute to Bud Greenspan, the late filmmaker and Olympic documentarian.
• Aug. 10: Invited to New York Athletic Club Olympic Celebration; attend Art of the Olympians/Global Sports Development round table discussion with Olympians and children about the environment.
• Aug. 12: Attend Art of the Olympians/Global Sports Development closing ceremonies event.
news-press.com
Live reports: Beamon and Oerter will send daily reports from the games starting Wednesday. Log on to news-press.com to share in the scene at the museum’s gallery in London.
Art of the Olympians upcoming events
Thursday: 100 international students will take part with the group Education First on a scavenger hunt race.
Friday: There will be an Olympic celebration from 7-10 p.m. at the museum. There will be TVs and projection screens in the lower gallery while there also will be special children’s activities. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Aug 3: Working with Art Walk from 6-10 p.m. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
More
The Art of the Olympians museum and gallery’s first exhibit at an Olympics was during the 2008 summer games in Beijing.
Not too many people noticed.
Chinese officials tucked away the Fort Myers-based museum’s display at Prince Jun Palace, far away from the action. The representatives shared a room with the World Olympians Association. And part of the room was outdoors, forcing museum officials to use replica pieces instead of the original works.
Much has changed in four years.
For the 2012 summer games in London, the Art of the Olympians’ traveling exhibit has been placed at University College London and given 36,000 square feet to display 33 pieces. Museum officials will host almost daily functions, and they hope this trip marks the museum’s coming-out party to the international community.
“We’re the main dogs in the show this time,” said Art of the Olympians chairwoman of the board Cathy Oerter. Her late husband, Al, is a four-time Olympic discus champion who founded the gallery for art created by Olympic athletes and placed it in Fort Myers. “It’s a world stage, to put us out there and get us noticed. They don’t get much bigger than the Olympic games.”
During the current trip, Oerter envisions strengthening relationships with International Olympic Committee and U.S. Olympic Committee officials, talking to corporate sponsors affiliated with USOC and meeting various athletes and figures interested in coming to Fort Myers for future events.
“We need to find more support,” Oerter said. “It’s expensive to run this. We get no funds from the Olympic committee and we’re hampered with the (Olympic) rings because we can only use their sponsors. If we get offered support from Pepsi-Cola when there’s Coke with the USOC, that won’t happen.
“This will help us survive in the next decade because we want to continue our educational programs.”
Oerter is part of Art of the Olympians travel party, along with curator specialist Sierra Stough, graphic designer Jessica Siegel, board member Markus Sherry and Chief Executive Officer Bob Beamon.
Beamon’s long jump of 29 feet, 2½ inches at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City still is an Olympic record, the oldest of all current Olympic records. His addition last year as the museum and gallery’s CEO has brought credibility to the organization and commands an audience with a variety of other VIPs. Among the dignitaries Beamon plans to meet in London are former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and track icon Carl Lewis.
And that’s in just the first week.
“No one else has a 44-year-old record,” Oerter said. “Bob has the name and he’s getting a lot of invitations. He’s a bigger-than-life, Olympic icon. So that’s in our favor. He’ll meet with those people who can make things happen in the higher end of the Olympic world. He’s always thought highly of Art of the Olympians and believes in what Art of Olympians stands for. That’s a big coup. When you have a leader such as Bob, you expect big things and he’s been a wonderful leader. We couldn’t have made a better choice and we love the stand he’s taking.”
Beamon talks modestly about all the dignitaries he’ll meet. He realizes this is a wonderful chance to spread the word of Art of the Olympians and Fort Myers while also discovering other Olympians who have talents in one medium or another.
“I was on the phone with (swimmer) Mark Spitz a couple of weeks ago, and I didn’t know he’s an artist,” Beamon said. “Abstract art. He’s sold quite a few pieces.
“This is probably the biggest stage for any sport for athletes to showcase their talents. This is a time for us to showcase what athletes are doing when they’re not flying through the air or doing incredible flops. I call it the other side of midnight. What do you do other than shoot a basket or long jump? The world has not seen that side.”
The Art of the Olympians party arrived in London on Sunday and immediately took a train to Torquay, a seaside town, for an exhibit where there are 12 paintings.
After the day in Torquay, the group returned to London for the start of a three-day Beyond Sports symposium, founded by Blair. His objective is to unearth the world’s most inspirational sport projects, people and organizations, celebrate their achievements, identify why they succeed, and use them to inspire others. Other ambassadors will include former NBA star and U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley and former gold medalist and Women’s Sports Foundation leader Donna de Varona.
During the symposium, Beamon also will receive a tour of Parliament.
“Maybe they’ll let me wear one of those wigs,” Beamon joked.
The group’s first week will end with Beamon and Oerter hosting the Opening at University College London. Guests include the families of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ali and Winston Churchill.
Art of the Olympians, which is working with Global Sports Development, will have various functions during the 17 days of the games.
“I think the trip is going to be very interesting,” Beamon said. “There’s so many activities to showcase. It’ll be a wonderful experience.”
Al Oerter, a former Fort Myers Beach resident, died of heart failure Oct. 1, 2007. He was 71. Oerter won discus gold in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968. He helped create the Art of the Olympians Foundation in 2006 with the hopes of someday having a museum.
What would he think of this trip and the progress the foundation has made since its inception?
“He’d say there’s more to do,” his widow said. “Don’t rest. That’s how he trained. When I’d pick him up at the airport, I needed to bring his training clothes. That’s how he relaxed.”
