Mary Lou Retton ‘Golden Girl’ 1984

Editor: This is LeRoy Neiman’s “Mary Lou Retton ‘Golden Girl’” from 1984. It's a really striking painting with that bright, almost fauvist palette and thick impasto. The central figure is doing the splits in front of an American flag...it feels very celebratory, but also maybe a little over-the-top patriotic? How do you interpret this work? Curator: I think that feeling of being "over-the-top" is really crucial. This painting emerged during the Reagan era. Can you think about what that historical and political moment represented? Editor: I wasn't alive then! But, like, a real resurgence of American exceptionalism, right? Curator: Exactly. Think about the symbolic weight of that flag draped behind her; it's not just background. It’s a deliberate visual strategy linking Retton's athletic achievement to a particular brand of nationalistic pride and, dare I say, the commodification of the athlete herself. In what ways can this also perpetuate certain ideals of feminine beauty, strength, and even political ideology? Editor: I see what you mean. She’s presented as this perfect embodiment of American success, almost reinforcing a specific ideal. Is it problematic, then, that her individual talent gets sort of…swallowed up by this bigger national narrative? Curator: It raises important questions about the relationship between individual accomplishment and national identity. Neiman gives her a lot of power but it is through representing national power as well. This era celebrated individual success, but frequently in ways that reinforced the existing power structures. How much does it liberate? How much does it box in? Editor: That's a lot to think about. It makes me see how artworks aren't just beautiful objects, but documents of specific cultural and political moments. Curator: Absolutely! Art provides us invaluable ways to access, analyze, and engage with our history critically.