Jesse Owens raced to Olympic glory nearly 90 years ago, but his performance in Berlin in 1936 remains indelibly etched in the minds of Bendheim employees via a digitally printed backlit glass mural at the company’s headquarters in Wayne, New Jersey.
Mural details
The image of Owens—8 feet high and 15 feet wide—is the first thing people see when entering the headquarters of the architectural glass manufacturer. The wall includes four panels of digitally printed glass that combine to create the overall image. The glass is installed with Bendheim’s TurnKey Fusion Light Wall system, which uses petite clips to capture the glass, eliminating the need for adhesives or expensive glass drilling.
The project captures Owens as he competes en route to four gold medals at the Olympics. He won individual gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters and long jump. He also ran on the victorious 4 x 100-meter relay. The Berlin Games were held amid a politically charged atmosphere, coming just three years after Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany.
What Bendheim says
“The wall acts as a representation of values that Jesse’s performance symbolized, including bravery, optimism and teamwork,” Bendheim President Donald Jayson says. “We hope that the mural inspires both our team and visitors alike.”
The mural’s significance takes on added importance amid the Summer Olympics currently underway in Paris, France. Saturday, August 3, will mark the 88th anniversary of Owens’ victory in the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics.
