Super Bowl XXIII 1989

LeRoy Neiman made this painting of Super Bowl XXIII, and you can almost feel the energy just pulsing off the canvas! I imagine him, brush in hand, trying to capture not just the players, but the whole vibe of the game: the roaring crowd, the tension, the sheer physicality of it all. Look at how he’s used these juicy reds and oranges against the cool blues and greens. It's like a visual explosion. See that player reaching for the ball? Neiman’s brushstrokes are so full of movement, you can practically see him leaping! There's a real generosity to his approach here, like he's inviting us to dive headfirst into the spectacle. Neiman was onto something, showing us how painting can be a way to grab hold of a moment, stretch it out, and really feel it. I see him in conversation with painters like de Kooning, who also knew how to make a brushstroke sing. It makes you wonder, what will artists make of *our* moment in time?