Gallery

Victory

Winning races is not everything. Victory comes from making the most of whatever we have. When we challenge ourselves to go beyond our limitations, we win. Victory may or may not result in a medal but always results in self-respect and confidence. Standing on the podium, having accomplished what we set out to do… this is the icing on the cake. It is the external reflection and acknowledgment of the satisfaction that ‘winning ourselves’ brings. ‘Victory’ is far more than a medal – it is the distillation of all our effort and passion embodied in a feeling that lasts a lifetime. This artwork juxtaposes the ‘venue’, where sporting competition takes place, with the ‘podium’, where winners receive acknowledgment.

Gregory Burns

Focus

We excel in sport by doing things we don't want to do and by not doing things we do want to do. All our sacrifices are focused on the target, on the goal we have set for ourselves. Like a laser beam, which concentrates everything on a single point, Olympians and Paralympians fine-tune themselves in order to achieve something beyond themselves. We take aim and surmount obstacles in our efforts to be our best. When we are galvanised by our belief that we can be better, ‘focus’ delivers the formula to our success. This artwork combines two sports, requiring pinpointed ‘focus’ in order to achieve success.

Gregory Burns

Stretch

When stretching to reach our goals, we gain strength. Chasing a tennis ball, a perfect score, another player, we steady ourselves for the long haul. Life is not a single match but a long journey with many wins and losses. We grow from our lapses, and we solidify our resolve with leaps of faith. Throughout, we yearn for that perfect moment when body and mind coalesce, and we move from good to great. With each new ‘stretch’, we inch one step closer to actualising our full potential. This artwork presents the tennis player at full ‘stretch’ , reaching for the ball, the point and excellence.

Gregory Burns

Race

Life is a race. Everyone faces challenges, and we all experience the two extremes of joy and sorrow. But the race unites us. We run, jump, and strive to reach a new horizon, to achieve something that makes us smile. We battle in order to be the best. But during the race, we are all alone with our reflections. We question, “Can I do this… will I succeed?” Finally, through our sweat and our doubts, we emerge at the finish line. We all want to be champions. Yet when we have exceeded ourselves, it doesn't matter in what place we finish. We ‘race’ not just to win, but to live the best version of ourselves. This artwork combines the ‘hurdles’ and ‘track’ competitions dashing across a landscape that references traditional Japanese architecture.

Gregory Burns

Athlete’s Journey

The life of the athlete is fraught with ups and downs, which mirror ‘The Hero’s Journey’, a monomyth as articulated by author Joseph Campbell. The athlete begins at home/in the status quo before accepting a challenge and then departs/launches into training. Throughout, he/she builds, climbs, struggles and discovers. Once the race is run, the feat accomplished, the athlete returns home to share the knowledge and prize with his/her community. ‘The Athlete’s Journey’ represents a repeating cycle of life that moves us forward and is a passage that we all share. This artwork illustrates the complex ‘journey’ of the athlete that includes hitting the ‘wall’, navigating through challenges and continuing on to victory, all of which is anchored by references to maps and iconic Japanese architecture.

Gregory Burns

Lift

Life is uplifting. Each of us inherits and accumulates challenges we need to accommodate. These can hold us down or they can build us up. When we muster the strength to lift up these burdens, we advance. We do so through sustained, consistent effort – by daily practice, which makes us stronger. Olympism – with the values of excellence, friendship and respect – supports each athlete’s efforts to rise above and go beyond. When we do the work and we ‘lift’ others up, along with ourselves, we make the world a better place. This artwork depicts athletes ‘lifting’ themselves or heavy weights in order to achieve personal success against a backdrop of traditional Japanese architecture.

Gregory Burns