Shaquille O’Neal 2000

LeRoy Neiman made this painting of Shaquille O’Neal with big, gestural marks and a palette that's almost as vibrant as the game itself. It makes you wonder, how did this painting come to be? Layer by layer, mark by mark, shifting and emerging through trial and error I imagine. I bet Neiman was feeling the energy of the stadium, the sweat, the squeak of the sneakers when he made this. I can almost see him, brush in hand, trying to capture that explosive moment. The paint looks thick, right? You can practically feel the texture. Look at how he uses color—those strokes of teal and purple, not just on the players, but in the crowd too, it's like he’s painting the noise, the excitement. That upward thrust of Shaq’s arm, it’s not just about scoring, it’s about power, ambition. Neiman's got this spontaneous, almost messy style, reminds me a bit of Joan Mitchell or maybe de Kooning, but with its own unique energy and illustrative quality. It’s all one big conversation, right? Artists talking to each other across time, inspiring each other to see, to feel, and to make. It’s not about getting it "right," but about expressing something true, something felt. The best paintings leave room for interpretation.