From medals to masterstrokes

Olympic diving legend Gao Min finds fresh success in art world

Chinese people liken Olympic diver Gao Min to a fish, or to be precise－a mermaid. Thanks to her two gold medals in the 3m springboard event at Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992, as well as a plethora of other titles, Gao is a sporting legend in China, and her exploits in the pool still resonate after all these years.

"In Chinese culture, fish represent surplus, to always have plenty," says Gao, smiling. "Because of my diving, people in my country call me a mermaid."

Gao is one of seven former Olympians with artistic talent who were selected for the Olympian Artists-in-Residence program for Beijing 2022, as part of the Olympic Agora cultural project (see website on Olympics.com/olympic-agora).

Gao reckons sports and the arts have much in common.

"I think diving itself is art, an art in the air, an art of the body challenging its limits. Today I write and paint, which is also art, an art of using actions to reflect my thinking.

"When I was 14 years old, I learned about the Olympic Games for the first time through television, and participating in the Games became my dream. I stood on top of the Olympic podium at the age of 18 and defended my title four years later, which was the proudest moment of my life.

"After retirement, no matter what difficulties I encounter, I can overcome them just by recalling the efforts I had made to realize the dream of being an Olympic champion. The Olympic experience gives me courage, strength, confidence and honor to confront life's challenges."

After retiring from competition, Gao coached for many years and in recent years, took up painting. She learned calligraphy and Chinese brush painting from a renowned painter in China, and the results started showing almost immediately. Her paintings started selling, with collectors paying a handsome price for them.

"Once she decides to do something, she commits to it totally," reveals her manager. "This is exactly why she becomes successful at whatever she chooses to do."

Experts say her calligraphy strokes convey conviction and strength.

"The paintings are sold for charity," explains Gao. "My painting sales have supported charities that take care of children who are left behind in villages. China has witnessed tremendous transformation over the last 40 years, and children of farmers who left the villages sometimes got left behind."

Proceeds from Gao's art also go toward supporting the Star Power Charity Foundation, which helps retired athletes and coaches. She is its founder and president.

Gao's three paintings for the Olympic Agora are calligraphic interpretations of Ode to Sport by Pierre de Coubertin, and feature the five colors of the Olympic rings. One painting is entitled Happy Fish for a Shared Future, which represents athletes from five continents coming together for the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. This painting also celebrates Beijing as the only host city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Games.

All Gao's works, as well as those by the other six Olympian artists-in-residence, can be viewed in the online Olympic Agora exhibition. Launched by the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage at Pyeongchang 2018, the Olympian Artistsin-Residence program celebrates the link between sports and culture by offering opportunities to athletes to produce and present artworks.