Muskingum News

A high-profile art exhibition, featuring works that depict major public sports figures and celebrities, such as Joe Montana, Miles Davis and Serena Williams is now open on Muskingum’s campus through April 14. “Action! An Exhibition of LeRoy Neiman’s Champions” features 74 original works by the famed artist, on loan from The LeRoy Neiman Foundation, and displayed in Ohio for the first time.

“We are very excited to be the first organization in Ohio to showcase this incredible collection of LeRoy Neiman’s works,” said Muskingum University President Sue Hasseler. “It is wonderful to share Neiman’s legacy with our students and community and to collaborate with an alumnus to execute such projects.”

Jim Purdy ‘85, a board member of The LeRoy Neiman Foundation in New York, devised the plan to bring the collection to his alma mater. Purdy, a former member of the Muskingum football team during his time on campus, got to know Neiman before his passing in 2012.

“Neiman’s depictions of athletes and musicians in motion made him one of most popular artists of our time,” said Purdy. “As a Muskingum graduate, I’m proud that we can showcase his works on Muskingum’s campus.”

A group of Muskingum students, supervised by Exhibition Curator and Professor of Art Yan Sun, worked together to carefully unpack Neiman’s valuable works one-by-one, before determining the order and the placement of each work within the gallery spaces.

“Planning and handling this collection has been an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students,” Sun said. “We have worked extremely hard to create a compelling environment for our guests, and we hope each of our visitors leaves with a new or renewed appreciation for Neiman and his body of work.”

Exhibition hours for “Action!,” the Neiman exhibition at Muskingum University are from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays; and 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays through April 14. The exhibition is closed on Sundays. “Action!” is split between two different gallery locations on campus, the Louis O. Palmer Gallery and Philip & Betsey Caldwell Hall.

“Action!” is free to the public and is presented by Muskingum University and Kessler Sign Company, with additional support provided by Century National Bank and Barnes & Noble.

For more information about the exhibition, visit muskingum.edu/neiman, and join the conversation using #NeimanAtMU.