Olympic Spirits will be raised by Chromy's sculpture in London 2012

The Olympic village in London is preparing for the arrival of The Olympic Spirit by Anna Chromy. This fifteen foot tall bronze sculpture is remarkable not only for its transcendental magic, but also because its magnificence and beauty embodies the true spirit of the Olympics.

The longevity of these celebrated games bears testament to the gravitas with which they are held. Every four years a country is granted the priviledge to host the Olympics. Doing so provides a wealth of opportunity to the hosting nation, it has even been known to kick-start economical recovery, open new trading channels and even prevent wars.

The games themselves are played in a higher spirit than any other. The Spirit of the Olympics is one to which all athletes aspire. To represent one’s country in the Olympics games is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career. Few events leave its participants with such a priviledged label ever afterwards. To be known as an ‘Olympian’ for ever, having appeared just once in these games is an example of the respect we hold for these games and for the Olympics spirit as a whole.

So it is especially suitable to see Anna Chromy’s Olympic Spirit in London this year for the 2012 Olympic Games, even though she has the honour of being the only foreign artist to have work on display at the Games, all others being British. Of her sculpture, Anna says:

“The heroes of the ancient Olympics showed the way – our life is a constant challenge. But we are never certain of the final result, and thus, like acrobats, constantly in a precarious position. If we stay on top we succeed, otherwise we are crushed and hurt.”

“Precarious” is a good word for this sculpture. You may gaze at it from each of the 360 degrees and still wonder how on earth these three athletes remain so still. It seems impossible for them to keep such a state between them and in your mind’s eye the whole structure moves uncontrolably in a seething ripple of muscle as these gymnasts adjust their weight and pose to remain upright.

Such is the elegance of The Olympic Spirit and there are many parallels to draw with the Olympic Spirits of the games themselves. The discipline, the years of training and the dedication to achieve, are each characteristics in all of the athletes who compete in the 2012 Olympic Games. All of them are also evident in this remarkable sculpture just as they are in the artist who created it.

The olympic spirit song, the music composed in the eighties by John Williams, adds further poignancy to the scene created by The Olympic Spirit sculpture. Together they provide a striking manifestation of all the good which associated with these games.

If you are going to The Olympic Games in London this year, be sure to visit The Olympic Spirit in the Olympic Village. Of all the olympic sculptures, this one reaches deepest into the spirit of the games.

In the world of ancient Greece, the Olympic Games represented an extremely important event. Every four years the best of Greek youth would get together at Olympia, an ancient, sacred city to compete in various disciplines. Even wars were suspended so that the games could go ahead. Indeed the timetable for the games dictated the order of other events, so much so that history itself has blended into myth. Hercules, fulfilling his father Zeus’ wish, set up the first games. Who better than the most popular hero of classical mythology, with his legendary twelve labours, to embody the spirit of the games?