Andy Warhol’s series The Athletes includes 10 portraits of famous athletes that were commissioned by Andy Warhol’s friend and collector Richard Weisman. Created in 1978, the painting series features NBA all-time scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, golfing great Jack Nicklaus, figure skating Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill, boxing icon Muhammad Ali, the infamous O. J. Simpson, the Brazilian football legend Pelé, ice hockey great Rod Gilbert, baseball pitching legend Tom Seaver, tennis pro Chris Evert and the world record breaker for professional jockey victories Willie Shoemaker.
Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Weisman who has loaned the paintings to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the works will be available to see once more. So if you missed them at the San Antonio Museum of Art then now is your chance. Outside of the paintings, there will also be 12 of Warhol’s most memorable film screen tests from the mid-1960s, including those of Bob Dylan, Edie Sedgwick, Dennis Hopper and Salvador Dali. In addition to a number of Polaroid photographs that Warhol shot himself, lent by the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art.
The exhibition will remain on view through July 12, 2015.