Larry Rippel has been photographing Art Olympics since I started the event in 2007. Here are his images from the most recent Art Olympics at the October 25th, 2024 Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The 2024 Art Olympics was supported by The Cultural Trust in partnership with Associated Artist of Pittsburgh. The public art project was part of AAP’s 110th Annual Exhibition. The Carnegie Museum of Art generously donated membership packages to the winning team. Flyspace Productions managed the technical aspects of the show, including sound, stage and lighting.
Over 500 people came through the Art Olympics venue over the three hour event, many taking advantage of the interactive aspects of the show. Twelve professional artists competed in the main event. It was a beautiful evening in Pittsburgh. The sun slowly went down, with daylight shifting into dramatic theatrical lighting and the glow of a city at night.
The Crew: Mike, Tom, Audra and Kristen. The Giant Eagle Backyard at 8th & Penn.Space 1. Each team gets a work area with a random selection of junk. Teams are also allowed to bring in a specified amount of their own materials.Space 2. Space 3.Space Pirates: Kirsten Ervin, Suzanne Werder, Karny & Rankin Tran.Gucci / Boom Concepts: Kuwame Kinsel, DeVaughn Rodgers, D.S. Kinsel, Jacqueline Walker.Office of Interstellar Environmental, Wingdings: Merle Rogers, Lindsey Scherloum, Albert Pantone, Katy DeMent. Mike and Audra leading in the Cheddar Bay Brass Band. Cheddar Bay Brass Band leading the opening ceremonies. Announcing the teams. Lindsey Scherloum delivering a team artist statement. Team leader Suzanne Werder performing the artist statement for Space Pirates. A giant scrolling story, similar to a puppet cranky device. D.S. Kinsel prepares to give his team artist statement. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Make Art! An enthusiastic audience member or maybe a team groupie?Audra Clayton interviewing judge Alison Zapata.Mike interviewing judge Chris Korch. Mike with judge David Montano. DJ Mary Mack pumping up the jams! Tom explaining the rules. Tom showing off the hand-crafted trophy for the winning team.A group of visiting students.The Half-Time Show puppet making contest. Three audience members volunteered to compete in a ten-minute contest to make puppets out of the random contents of small boxes. Each contestant is provided tape, scissors and glue. Kristen judging the puppet making contest. The winner!!!Halftime performance by Cheddar Bay Brass Band. Madeline, director of AAP, posing for the Seventh Inning Sketch. Eight audience members competed to draw Madeline over a ten minute period. Anastasia James, Director of Galleries and Public Art for The Cultural Trust, judged the Seventh Inning Sketch. The winner! Lindsey Scherloum adding some final details. A sustained tableau by Boom Concepts in the final stretch. Suzanne Werder gives some final remarks. And the trophy goes to: Space Pirates!
Tom Sarver 