Just Frame It: How Nike Turned Sports Stars into Superheroes

For a handful of decades at the end of the last century, one of the most popular ways for a superstar professional athlete to cement their iconic status was to have their persona memorialized on a Nike poster. It became a right of passage, and the posters’ popularity peaked as the Nike brand ascended to the pinnacle of its industry. In an age where athletes’ images are much more accessible and down to earth, these posters may seem quaint—but they’re also larger-than-life and undeniably entertaining, just like the stars they depict.

Chronicling the many professional sports promoted by Nike, from basketball and football to tennis and golf, as well as the myriad athletes who worked with the brand, this exhibition showcases how one company paved the way for modern sports advertising.