Artistry in the Olympics

           

There is something mesmerising about the Olympics! What is it that draws us to view activities that challenge the human being to be all they can be? Why all the anticipation of the whole world to travel to or gather around TVs to watch something like track and field or a rowing event? Usually, we find it difficult to go to our own kids school or community track events back home. What is going on?

There are the obvious of course, such as seeing a city at it’s best hosting the event, showing off its beauty and culture to the world. Meeting people from around the world. Encouraging world peace and cooperation, as someone said, “A party with a purpose.” And of course seeing athletes perform at their best.

I believe it has mostly to do with this last point. When something is done “at it’s best”, in this case being “best in the world” something different is going on. We naturally love to see something done at that level. If someone is known to be run or jump or row a boat within hundreds of a second of a world record we are curious. How do they do that? What do they look like doing that? Plus, we feel like we must celebrate that somehow. It is an achievement we would never ordinarily actually see or experience. So, we are drawn to it.

Then also, this activity at that level becomes art. That is I believe what really draws us. Often, this is not the original reason we are drawn to go, but it is what we suddenly experience when we are there, watching. I don’t believe we often even recognize it or call it "art", but at that level of excellence it simply becomes artistic and we are drawn and mesmerised by that.

By definition “artistry” is “a superior skill that you can learn by study and practise and observation...” This is the Olympics! A life’s focus on for example, on swimming or archery or cycling, track and field.... I find it so amazing that we are still breaking records. I years ago I thought that at some point that would end. That we would come to a place where humans could not go any faster in that water and that would be it. Not so. The human spirit cannot be limited. Humans will study, examine, test for drag, work, exercise, discover foods that give energy and strength and exercise and battle all their waking moments to achieve the record and in the process possibly create a new one. Such mastery becomes pure art. 

It’s the same with music. We go to hear good music and hear the beauty and artistry of the performance. We know the performer has spent years perfecting their art, and again we love to bask in the excellence and artistry of it.

In addition, by nature of the Olympics, the events being of a physical nature we see athletes in top physical form. So alongside the skill achieved we see the particular physical attributes of the human that lend itself to each particular discipline. Yet all of them in top condition for their events. Runners look different than wrestlers or the shot-put group. Some are short, others tall and thin, some huge, yet, in their performance, once again each is artistic in it’s own unique beautiful way. You wonder how those thin Ethiopian runners will have the energy to run those long distances! Each body is pushed to it’s human extreme potential in the performance of their event, and so the muscle rippling artistry is revealed.

Most athletes are not attempting to be “artistic” but come to understand that in the drive to perform the event at it’s “elite” level, it becomes an art.

Some events I particularly enjoy are synchronised diving, rowing, swimming, gymnastics and racing. The beauty and artistry of each is stunning.

By the way, have you noticed how some of the ads have also picked up on the artistry of the games? Check out those Rona ads, pliers doing synchronised swimming...fantastic.

Now, there’s another thing. Watching the Olympic artistry also inspires. Regardless of the results, each athlete will do their best. We love that and celebrate that. The whole world feels good for them just even getting to the Olympics. Also, we who attend or watch, go away inspired, thinking we can do anything, determined to write...to create...to go for a jog...achieve whatever...amazing is it not?

How beautifully we as a human species (inside and out) have been made!

“Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?”

Deut. 4:32