By Lydia Yeshitla ’17, Section Editor

This year’s Rio Olympics was one for the books. From the record-smashing gold medals to the inspirational moments shared by players from opposing teams, the 2016 Olympics did not disappoint audiences. There was, however, an interesting aspect to the Olympic games that most viewers didn’t notice: the arts. Yes, a competition based solely on athletics truly did invest time and dedication to some of the most interesting artwork. Though music and dance performances received some attention, visual artwork was typically overshadowed by the sporting competitions. As much as these pieces expressed broader messages through precise and creative details, they unfortunately went unnoticed by most audiences more often than not.

The global presentation of artwork kicked off at the opening ceremony when Anthony Howe, an artist from Brazil, designed a kinetic wind sculpture of the sun. This moving piece of artwork positioned right behind the Olympic torch served not only to make a grand appearance, but also to convey a greater message. Howe purposely sculpted a monumental and vibrant sun to call attention to the reality of overheating and the threats that global warming imposes on the planet. Howe wasn’t the only artist who used their artistic talent to make a political statement during the Olympic games. Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra created a mural called Etnias, which is Portuguese for ‘Ethnicities’, to represent the faces of indigenous people. More importantly, Kobra emphasized the fact that all five indigenous faces in his mural are from nations on distinct continents. Kobra prides himself on the solidarity that his mural promotes by stating that he hoped “to show that everyone is united, that we are all connected.” It seems as though the artists in the Olympic games made note of global conflicts pervading the world. Whether it was the athletic competition during the Olympic games or the more broader political matters that motivated these artists, they truly used their skill to convey messages pertinent to current global issues.

The display of visual arts didn’t end at the opening ceremony. Throughout the athletic competitions, artists invested loads of time and effort to design a visually appealing setting. At the volleyball game held on the Copacabana Beach, artist Katsuhiko Chaen created a sand sculpture to honor Brazilian culture and the Olympic games. However, this piece, like many others, went unnoticed by most viewers who watched volleyball or other sporting competitions that were held at artistic settings. Mr. Blomn, who serves as the physical education teacher as well as the coach of football and swimming at Newark Academy admits that he “only watched girls soccer and swimming, and didn’t pay any attention to the artwork throughout the games.”  Mr. Blomn even discloses that he “did not put any consideration into the opening or closing ceremonies.” Unfortunately, Mr. Blomn is not unlike most of audience who was solely fixated on the athletic events.

Those who did pay attention, however, have acknowledged the diverse array of artwork represented in the Olympic games. Not surprisingly, most who notice the role of visual arts usually happen to be artistically inclined. IB artist Abdul Nafea-Syed ‘17 says, “I was more interested by the role of the visual arts than the performing arts in the opening and closing ceremonies. I was particularly amused by the visual enhancement of the final ceremony under a stadium that projected different images.” Abdul was “excited by Brazil’s flashy color scheme during competitions and couldn’t help but notice how Brazil’s bright greens and oranges crashed heavily with the muddy greens and dark pinks of London’s 2012 Olympics which had a more modern theme.” Though Abdul is one of many artists who disliked the general indifference toward visual arts during the Olympics, he wasn’t surprised by it, because as Abdul says, “the visual arts are difficult to understand or notice among athletic competitions. I just wish there was more coverage about arts in the Olympics.” Though the average viewer might not be expected to have noticed important details regarding the visual arts, the press hardly ever covered the topic. When media outlets did recognize any form of art at the Olympics, it usually only consisted of performances in the opening and closing ceremonies. Perhaps viewers’ lack of attention toward the visual and graphic arts was partly due to its lack of coverage.

It’s a shame that the majority of talent within the visual arts went unrecognized during the Rio Olympics, as these art pieces not only showcased the unique art of various countries, but also broadcast broader issues to audiences. As a school community with artistic minds and passions, we should all strive to be more aware of these subtle uses of art, especially because they typically intend to spread a deeper, global message.