Public Art

Olympic Runner

By William Zorach
Category: Statue

About

Henry J. Kiener, a steel executive and lifelong athlete who had been an Olympic high-hurdler, bequested funds for a fountain with an athletic figure. Kiener’s trust fund consulted with art experts who recommended world-renowned Alexander Calder for the commission. Calder prepared an expressive, modernistic model, but with no figurative element. The trust company felt obligated to follow Kiener’s will to the letter, and since the five-year time limit was nearly expired, they hastily selected Zorach to produce a figurative athlete.

Dimensions: 14′ x 4′ x 8′
Year Completed: 1965
Material: Bronze
Owner: City of St. Louis
Donor: Henry J. Kiener


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