As we celebrate the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, we reflect on the monumental contributions of artists and athletes alike during the 1996 Olympics. Standing at more than twenty-six feet tall, the masterful sculpture of a gymnast executing the move called the "Flair" is both powerful and commanding. Created by internationally acclaimed artist Richard MacDonald, the monument exalts the determination, tenacity, and dedication inherent in the pursuit of excellence.
Created for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, "Flair Across America" celebrates the triumph of the human spirit and the idealization of the human form while promoting an appreciation for the arts within diverse communities. The massive sculpture highlights the athlete's struggle and ultimate triumph, representing the power and heroic determination that inspire Olympians to excel. As with all the monuments he has completed, MacDonald designed the plaza on which "The Flair" sits. The beautifully rendered environment includes a 3,600-square-foot granite plaza with a dome-shaped pedestal signifying the curvature of the earth, a large reflective pool, and a fountain engendering movement and the essence of life.
En route to the Atlanta Olympic Games to donate "The Flair" to the state of Georgia, the Georgia World Congress Center, and the city of Atlanta, MacDonald stopped in major cities across America to display the sculpture and educate people about the importance of figurative art in our society. Epitomizing the energy that MacDonald devotes to his monuments, the artist brought together gold-medal Olympic athletes to tour with the monument, including Kurt Thomas, who popularized the movement called "The Flair."
As we look back on the legacy of the 1996 Olympics, we are reminded of the enduring spirit of the Games and the timeless impact of art in celebrating human achievement. The Dawson Cole Fine Art gallery honors this legacy as we embrace the excitement and unity of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast, Third Life, Platinum Special 20th Anniversary Edition, 2016Bronze with platinum patina34.75 x 13 x 29" -
Richard MacDonaldGymnast Bust, 1995Bronze14 x 7 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast, Eighth Life, Platinum Special 20th Anniversary Edition, 2016Bronze with platinum patina20 x 8 x 16"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast Bust, Terra Cotta, 1996Terra cotta resin14.5 x 7 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast, Third life, State II, 1995Bronze34.75 x 13 x 29"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast Bust, Platinum, 2006Bronze with platinum patina14 x 7 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast, Eighth life, 1995Bronze20 x 8 x 16"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast Bust, Half Life, 1995Bronze19 x 13.5 x 14"
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Richard MacDonaldGymnast, Third life, 1995Bronze34.75 x 13 x 29"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf I, Atelier, 2017Bronze10 x 6 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldU.S. Open Monument, Commemorative, 2000Bronze9.5 x 8 x 5"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf I-V, Atelier, 2017Bronze10 x 21.75 x 4.75"
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Richard MacDonaldTranscendance (Sasha II), 2006Bronze54 x 19 x 14"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf I, IV and V, Atelier, 2017Bronze10 x 14.25 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf V, Atelier, 2017Bronze10 x 6 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldTranscendance, Two Thirds Platinum, 2010Bronze with platinum patina130 x 40 x 23"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf I-V, Atelier, Platinum, 2022Bronze with platinum patina10 x 21.75 x 4.75"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf II, Atelier, 2017Bronze9 x 6 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldTranscendance, Red, 2018Bronze with red patina54 x 19 x 14"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf IV, Atelier, 2017Bronze9.75 x 6 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldTranscendance, Atelier, Red, 2022Bronze with red patina27 x 10 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf III, Atelier, 2017Bronze9.5 x 6 x 6"
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Richard MacDonaldTranscendance, Atelier, Platinum, 2020Bronze with platinum patina27 x 10 x 8"
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Richard MacDonaldAnatomy of Golf III, 2000Bronze19.25 x 8.5 x 8"
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