The ancient Olympic games were held in Greece every four years from at least the ninth century BC until the fourth century AD. Only males competed. Under penalty of death, women were barred from competing or observing the  competitors, all of whom performed naked. 

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After a long hiatus, the modern Olympic games were reborn at Athens in 1896. Since then, Greece and Australis have been the only countries represented at every summer Olympics.  In recognition of the centenary of Australia's participation in the modern Olympics, the photographic magazine black+white published a special issue devoted to the Australian Olympians who would compete in the 1996 Atlanta games.  The aim of that photographic essay was to celebrate the inherent aesthetic beauty of the human form, both male and female. 

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Olympia is a relief carving inspired by Ms. Trish Fallon, a female athlete who represented Australia on the basketball court in Athens. This relief took advantage of the shape of a discarded fragment of limestone with a natural break on the left side of the stone that guided the evolution of the figure.  ​

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L.N. Thibos, Sculptor

June, 2017

Limestone, 25” tall