Preparing for the Olympics with "A Place for Us"

“I’ve learned that art is making me, rather than creating me” - Paul Goodnight

Paul Goodnight, A Place for Us, 1993 serigraph, 36" x 26".

Have you been eagerly counting the days, hours and minutes until the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics? The GW Permanent Collection can allay your excitement, with Paul Goodnight’s serigraph, A Place for Us.

            If Alpine Skiing is your favorite Winter Olympic event, A Place for Us, can give you a taste of what to expect with Goodnight’s depiction of two male skiers descending a slope, a snow covered mountain in the backdrop. Goodnight evokes emotion and movement with the use of contrasting pastel colors and shades of darker colors. Often sport has been the subject of Goodnight’s work, as he is an avid sportsman himself. He has a Black Belt in Karate, has run seven marathons and participates daily in long distance swimming. His talent for depicting movement in his works caught the eye of the Olympic committee in 1996, when he designed, Feet Don’t Fail Me Now, as the official commemorative poster for the Atlanta Summer Olympics and in 2008, when he created the triathlon triptych for the Beijing Olympic Games. In addition to creating art for the Olympics, he was also responsible for creating the World Cup Poster in 1998 and 2010. 

Paul Goodnight, Feet Don't Fail Me Now, 2008.

 Goodnight began to pursue a career as an artist as a way to recover from his traumatic tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He had lost his ability to speak from witnessing many horrors, so he turned to his artistic talents to communicate his emotions. Goodnight was trained in classical art at the Massachusetts College of Art after returning from Vietnam. He attributes his unique style to his use of unusual techniques and tools such as volcanic ash, which he learned to use from an artist in Brazil. Other techniques were picked up during his many travels around the world, including to Russia, Nicaragua, and China. He strives to provide viewers with a deeper understanding of African history and culture by incorporating African themes and symbols in his works.

You may have seen pieces of Goodnight’s without even knowing it, if you have watched television productions like Seinfeld, the Cosby Show, ER, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Goodnight’s pieces can be found in the private collection of notables such as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou, Samuel L. Jackson, and Angela Bassett. His creations are also in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the Hampton University Museum and in the GW Permanent Collection. 

Goodnight continues to create unique pieces with his distinct methods.  In 2011 he participated in The Body in Motion exhibition at Fayetteville State University and contributed to an exhibition celebrating the 100th birthday of Mahalia Jackson. 

- Taylor Schmidt, Gallery Assistant

Paul Goodnight, World Cup Soccer Poster, 1998.