PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: COALESCING ART AND ATHLETICISM
As Paris is under the high fervour of athleticism of the historic Paralympic Games and the Olympics 2024, the galleries and museums of this global epicentre of art and culture also gear up to showcase a diverse spectrum of contemporary and historical works. Curated along the lines of sports, these exhibits talk of the interplay between arts and sports, blending athleticism with the artistic.
Photo courtesy: RMN Grand Palais Louvre Museum
Discover our selection of must-see exhibitions gracing the Parisian landscape during this high adrenaline season.
1. Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy
24 April – 16 September 2024
From 24 April through September 16, 2024, gracing The Louvre is an exhibit titled “Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy”. Curated by Alexandre Farnoux, Violaine Jeammet, and Christina Mitsopoulou, this exhibition sheds light on the origins and history of the world’s largest and most-watched sporting competition — the Olympics.
Photo courtesy: Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Using iconography, contemporary objects, and archeological discoveries, the exhibit charts the history of the modern Olympics — from its origin in Greece to this edition in France. The pieces on display at the exhibit include the Breal’s Silver Cup, the first trophy of the marathon race at the 1896 Olympic Games. Loaned from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and designed by the French academic Michel Breal, the cup is made of pure silver, and on the top part of the Cup an inscription reads, “OLYMPIC GAMES 1896, MARATHON TROPHY DONATED BY MICHAEL BREAL”. The relief decoration of the cup depicts birds and aquatic plants, which were known to exist in the swamplands of Marathon in ancient times.
The other artefact on display is the red-figure krater, “At the Heart of a Merciless Struggle”. Painted by Euphronios, who is considered to be one of the masters of this technique, it depicts the struggle between Herakles and the giant Antaios, son of Poseidon and Gaia. As the legend goes, the battle was one-sided, as the giant regained strength with every touch of the earth, easily defeating any who entered his domain. Yet, it was Herakles who ultimately triumphed.
Photo courtesy: RMN Grand Palais Louvre Museum
Among other displays is the athletic masterpiece, Discobolus (460–450 BC), also known as the discus-thrower. Sculpted by Myron in bronze cast, the sculpture emphasises rhythm and athleticism. Myron’s skill is perceptible in his ability to convey a sense of movement of the body at the moment of its maximum tension and splendour within a static medium — transforming a routine athletic activity into a representation of balance and harmony. The sculpture stands as an ideal of early classical Greek period excellence. With other 120 artworks and artefacts on display, the exhibit gives the visitor a deep insight into the history of Olympics.
2. Paralympic Stories: From Integration to Social Inclusion
11 June – 29 September 2024
Running from June 11th through September 29th, 2024, the exhibit Paralympic Stories: From Integration to Social Inclusion (1948-2024) is curated by Anne Marcellini and Sylvain Ferez, with scientific advice by Pierre-Olaf Schut. Displayed at the Pantheon in Paris, this exhibit traces the history of the Paralympic Games, which began in 1948 as the Stoke Mandeville Games, the first inclusive event for athletes with disabilities. The name “Paralympic” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (meaning “beside” or “alongside”) and the word “Olympic,” signifying the existence of two parallel movements.
Anne Marcellini, in her curatorial note, emphasises that the Paralympic movement is leading the way in the emancipation of people who are differently abled, using sport as a platform to enhance social visibility and transform collective perceptions. The exhibit challenges traditional views on disability and athleticism, echoing the contributions of figures like Louis Braille, the inventor of the tactile writing system for the blind, in shaping national identity. This exhibit is sponsored by the Saffron Group, Fonds Handicaps and Societe, and the Foundation Visio.
Photo courtesy: Collections du Musée national du Sport, Nice
Organised chronologically, the exhibit combines archives, posters, photographs, sports equipment, artefacts, and audiovisual documents to trace the evolution of athletes’ roles and their broader societal impact. From 1948 to 1960, the Stoke Mandeville Games became a significant international event for wheelchair users, laying the groundwork for the Paralympic movement. The first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome between 1960 and 1989, initially focusing on wheelchair athletes with spinal cord injuries. Over time, the Games expanded to include athletes with amputations and visual impairments. By 1989-2012, the Paralympic Movement had embraced a wider spectrum of disabilities, including hearing and intellectual disabilities. In the past decade, athletes with intellectual disabilities have been reintegrated into the Games, competing in sports such as swimming, table tennis, and athletics.
Photo courtesy: Collections du Musée national du Sport, Nice
3. The Art of the Olympics
June 6 – September 7 2024
In collaboration with the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Gagosian Gallery is hosting the grand exhibition The Art of the Olympics across two locations: Rue de Castiglione and Rue de Ponthieu. Running until September 7th, 2024, the exhibit features works by renowned artists including Christo, Andreas Gursky, Duane Hanson, Keith Haring, Man Ray, Takashi Murakami, Marc Newson, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Jonas Wood, David Hockney, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, and Rachel Whiteread. These artists engage in a dynamic visual discourse centred around the 2024 Olympics, with works that span painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography, exploring sports such as surfing, golf, shooting, running, football, and boxing.
Photo Courtesy: Gagosian, Paris
Photo courtesy: Rachel Whiteread and International Olympic Committee
Highlights at the Rue de Castiglione include Andreas Gursky’s Amsterdam Arena I (2000), a vivid, high-perspective contemporary photograph, and the monumental installation Running Fence (1974) by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, known for their large-scale environmental works. Another standout is Takashi Murakami’s Shooting Games: Landscape of My Youth (2023), an acrylic and glitter piece on canvas mounted on an aluminium frame. Jonas Wood’s Scholl Canyon (2005), an oil painting in his signature flat style, and Duane Hanson’s hyperrealistic bronze sculpture Bodybuilder (1989–90) are also featured, adding depth and diversity to the exhibition.
At Rue de Ponthieu, the exhibition celebrates previous Olympic editions through posters from the Olympic Museum collection. Notable works include Rachel Whiteread’s LOndOn 2012 (2011), an off-set printed poster with overlapping circles, created for the 2012 London Olympic Games, and Robert Rauschenberg’s photographic collage Star in Motion (1982), the official poster for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. From its ancient origins to today’s global phenomenon, the Olympics continue to symbolise the pursuit of greatness and worldwide unity.
Text by Shalini Passi
Image Courtesy: RMN Grand Palais Louvre Museum, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Collections du Musée national du Sport, Nice, Gagosian, Paris, Rachel Whiteread and International Olympic Committee
Find out more about the exhibits here:
https://www.louvre.fr/en/exhibitions-and-events/exhibitions/olympism
https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2024/the-art-of-the-games-rue-de-castiglione-paris/
