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The Arts Intel Report

The Art of the Olympics

Andreas Gursky, Amsterdam, Arena I, 2000.

July 22 – Sept 7, 2024
4 Rue de Ponthieu, 75008 Paris, France

“Art enlightens the intelligence, captivates thought, and incites ambition,” said Pierre de Coubertin, co-founder of the International Olympic Committee. Similarly, sport has inspired artists. This exhibition—spanning two floors and organized in collaboration with the Olympic Museum—proves it. A drawing of marathon runners by Christo is displayed alongside a Man Ray creation: a soccer ball emblazoned with the slogan “Jeux Nocturne.” There’s an aerial photograph of a football field by Andreas Gursky and works by Keith Haring, Takashi Murakami, and Ed Ruscha. Upstairs, a selection of posters from the Olympic Museum features designs by artists such as David Hockney (a commission for the 1972 Munich games), Cy Twombly (1984 Sarajevo), and Robert Rauschenberg. On your mark, get set, go. —Elena Clavarino

Photo courtesy Gagosian © Andreas Gursky, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany