Trinity Salute Print

“My latest painting epitomises a pivotal moment in time. It encompasses a tumultuous era that resonates to this day.” Artist - Miriam Cabello Three champions defy the status quo and stand up to injustice. Sydney artist Miriam Cabello salutes these leaders in her new work Trinity Salute. She refocuses our attention on how the struggle against inequality is never truly over. A milestone in American and Australian history, that day on 16 October 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics, three sportsmen made the world think. Australian runner Peter Norman joined two American athletes in a powerful protest for human rights. Cabello vibrantly paints this moment as the winners, Americans Tommy Smith and John Carlos, mounted the podium and made their famous raised fist salute. Alongside them, fellow champion Peter Norman demonstrated his support by wearing the badge for human rights. Norman, who won silver for Australia in the men’s 200 metres, is considered an Australian sporting great. His winning time in Mexico City still stands as an Oceanic record. However, all three athletes suffered repercussions for their peaceful protest, with their careers as runners suffering. Despite adequate times during trials, Norman was not selected for the Munich Games of 1972 and never ran again in the Olympics. An anonymous Sydney donor commissioned the work. The donor has said: “The events of 1968 in Mexico City are not well known in Australia, so we decided an artwork commemorating this historical moment should be commissioned. The intention is to reunite the themes of belief, human endeavour and social justice within a Church setting, and continue the relationship that Churches have globally with artists by exhibiting significant artworks. We did not think that there was any reason why this could not also happen in Australia “. The artist’s work remains on display for public viewing at St Luke’s Enmore.