As Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, famously noted, art and sport share common values, engaging both the muscles and the mind. Paris is embracing this synergy by hosting exhibitions that explore the intersection of art, sport, and history.
The Musée Marmottan Monet: En Jeu! Artists and Sport
The exhibition showcases the journey of sports from a hobby among the elite to the evolution of the Olympics. Through a diverse range of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, and photographs by renowned artists such as Monet, Degas, and Caillebotte, the exhibition explores the challenges of sports and how it is perceived and presented through aesthetic aspects. It also examines the values of determination and resilience portrayed in the artworks.
Musée du Louvre: Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy
The exhibition at the Musée du Louvre delves into the origins and revival of the Olympic Games. Highlighting Pierre de Coubertin and Swiss painter Émile Gilliéron, the official artist of the 1896 Athens Games, the exhibition showcases works that explore the Olympics. Including archaeology, art history, and philology, the interdisciplinary exhibition serves as a time tunnel for the international competition.
Les Rencontres d’Arles: Le Sport à l’épreuve
The annual photography festival “Les Rencontres d’Arles” features the exhibition Le Sport à l’épreuve, translated as Sports in Focus, alongside the Olympics at the Musée Départemental. Since amateur photography began in the late 19th century, it could be considered to have evolved in parallel with the growth of the Olympics. The exhibition includes works from the Musée Olympique and Musée Photo Elysée and showcases how photography intersects with sport, capturing sporting events and athletes to reach a global audience.
Gagosian: The Art of The Olympics
In association with the Olympic Museum, the Gagosian is hosting an exhibition that celebrates the culture of sports. The exhibition is divided into two parts: the gallery on Rue de Castiglione features artworks in various mediums, from photography to sculpture, while the gallery on Rue de Ponthieu displays selected posters from the Olympic Museum, designed by artists to promote the games. Together, these two parts enrich the connection between art and sports by showcasing different ways art is used in the realm of sports.
Olympians in Paris
As part of the Olympian Artists Programme, seven Olympians are returning to the game by showcasing 37 sports-inspired artworks. The exhibition will feature pieces in various mediums, including mixed media collages, recycled fabric, oil paintings, photography, and more.
