Olympics 2024: 11 Cultural Experiences You Shouldn't Miss

The idea of blending art and sports isn’t new. Back in ancient Olympia, the games featured not only athletes but also philosophers, poets, and artists. Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the Olympics, believed that combining ‘muscles and mind’ was key to the Games. Until 1949, the Olympics even included categories like sculpture and music. As Coubertin put it, "Olympism is not a system, it is a state of mind. It can permeate a wide variety of modes of expression." 

Though artistic competitions faded from the Olympics over time, there’s now a renewed interest in bringing them back. Even celebrities like Pharrell Williams are pushing for art to be part of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, Paris is bursting with cultural events as part of the Cultural Olympiad. The city is hosting numerous exhibitions, performances, and projects, brightening up some of the world’s most famous museums. This Cultural Olympiad offers unique artistic experiences and a special atmosphere that celebrates the Olympic spirit. Check out what Paris has to offer during the Games—we’ve picked out some of the best events for you!

1. En jeu! Artists and sport (1870-1930), Musée Marmottan Monet, until September 1st 

The Musée Marmottan Monet, home to the world’s largest collection of Monet’s works, is hosting a unique exhibition titled "In the Game! Artists and Sport (1870-1930)." This show explores how sports and recreational activities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries reshaped gender roles in French society. Originally an aristocratic privilege, activities like horse racing, fencing, and tennis became more accessible to the public during the Second Empire, leading to their recognition as artistic themes. The exhibition features over 180 pieces by renowned artists such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, Rodin, and Sisley, as well as caricaturists like Daumier and Rops. It also highlights the metaphorical portrayal of the artist as an athlete, emphasizing determination, endurance, and overcoming obstacles.

2. Horse in Majesty, at the heart of civilization, Versailles, until November 3rd

The Palace of Versailles, which will host equestrian events during the Olympics and Paralympics this summer, is also presenting an exhibition dedicated to horses and their evolving role in society. This exhibition extends beyond the gallery to iconic spaces within Versailles, including the Hall of Mirrors. A highlight is the 17th-century painting "Equestrian Portrait of a Child" from the Konopiště Castle collection. Discovered by curator Hélène Delalex during a visit to Prague, this painting is now a central feature of the show. Due to its priceless value and recent attacks on artworks in France, it is housed in a protective glass case for security. The exhibition also delves into the relationship between art and science in anatomical studies of horses, showcasing early drawings by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, thanks to a collaboration between the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the English Royal Collections.

3. "Art Grand Slam: Inside the Movement," Czech Centre Paris, until August 30th

Another notable exhibition is "Art Grand Slam: Inside the Movement," which brings a unique perspective on the intersection of sport and art through Czech artworks to Paris. The show features established Czech artists like Alena Anderlová, Michal Rittstein, and Milena Dopitová, as well as emerging talents such as Veronika Čechmánková, Lukáš Slavický, and the artistic duo INSTITUT INSTITUT (Tereza Sikorová and Tomáš Moravanský). Curated by Petr Vaňous, this exhibition first appeared at Prague’s SmetanaQ Gallery in February and March before moving to Paris. It is part of a cultural triangle involving the Czech Olympic House, the Czech Embassy in Paris, and the Czech Centre Paris, allowing visitors to experience contemporary Czech art during the summer Olympics.

4. Paris Sports Ball, Parc des Champions, August 1, 6, and 8

The Paris Sports Ball is an exciting fusion of voguing and the Olympic spirit. This unique event takes place at the Parc des Champions, led by the iconic dancer Vinii Revlon and dancers from the House of Revlon, who represent the rise of voguing in France and worldwide. Voguing, a dance form originating from racially marginalized LGBT+ communities in 1960s New York, is now celebrated in Paris through dance battles that pay tribute to Olympic sports. Alongside the voguing competitions, the event features performances choreographed by renowned artists. The Paris Sports Ball not only showcases the beauty and diversity of voguing but also aligns with the Olympic ethos. It serves as a safe space for self-expression and enjoyment while marking a historic moment as the LGBT+ community has been officially invited by the International World Games Association, sending a message to the world: “Be proud of who you are.” As Vinii Revlon puts it, “This is a hopeful message for the future.”

5. "MATCH. Design and Sport" at Musée du Luxembourg, until August 11

Curious about how athlete equipment influences performance? "MATCH. Design and Sport," subtitled "The Story Looking to the Future," is the exhibition for you. The relationship between design and sport has been longstanding and mutually enriching. Design plays a crucial role in sports history, enhancing athletic abilities and helping athletes achieve better results through innovative materials, ergonomics, and aesthetics. Today, top-tier sports gear that combines cutting-edge design and technology is key to success. The exhibition explores various facets of the design-sport relationship, from classic athletic figures like Discobolus to modern e-sports challenges. Over 150 exhibits include prototypes, films, interactive apps, sketches, and unique historical items. Highlights include the revolutionary 1977 JogBra prototype, modern 3D-printed helmet liners for lighter and more ergonomic protection, innovative Paralympic rugby chairs improving performance and mobility, and a new AI-created game called Speedgate.

6. "100 Meters in Artistic Style" at Bercy Village, until September 15

This sports and art installation, created by Trajectoire Studio in collaboration with artist Arnaud Liard, features Olympic swimming and athletics disciplines on suspended canvases. The blue swimming track and colorful athletics track are complemented by sculptures of a swimmer and a runner, with one starting from the swimming lane and the other from the athletics track. The installation immerses passersby in a dynamic world of movement and action. Trajectoire Studio has long been dedicated to blending art and sport, and this project offers an original and innovative approach to Olympic disciplines. Whether in large exhibitions or smaller galleries, the studio collaborates with various personalities and organizations to make art accessible, fostering interaction and discussion.

7. Raphaël Zarka and "Cycloïd Piazza" at Centre Pompidou, until September 15

Cycloïd Piazza is a polychrome "skateable" sculpture by Raphaël Zarka that merges skate culture, skatepark architecture, geometric abstraction, and scientific studies of motion. Created specifically for the Piazza at Centre Pompidou, the sculpture allows both amateur and professional skateboarders to ride, perform tricks, and navigate ramps. The French artist drew inspiration from Galileo’s cycloid, described in 1599 as the curve offering the fastest descent, and applied it to skateboarding for the first time. Galileo explored falling bodies with balls rolling through grooves in his models; today, Zarka invites experimentation with classical mechanics curves through skateboarding as both a sport and performance. “The word Piazza suggests a change in scale: my sculpture was designed as a space, an area within an area, a square within a square,” says the artist. Zarka's sculpture features red, green, and yellow colors reminiscent of ochre tones used in Renaissance paintings and colors specified by modernist architect Le Corbusier in 1931. Cycloïd Piazza is the fourth addition to Zarka’s series of skateable sculptures, which began in New York in 2011.

8. "Fashion on the Move #2" at Palais Galliera, until January 5, 2025

As part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Palais Galliera presents "Fashion on the Move #2," an exhibition exploring the impact of fashion on sports and everyday clothing. This exhibit reveals how clothing influences our movement and performance. Featuring 300 pieces from the Palais Galliera collections, it illustrates how societal, cultural, and political factors have shaped fashion for sports like swimming, running, tennis, and horseback riding. The display spans from the 18th century to the present, highlighting innovative materials that have made sportswear a staple in fashion. The exhibition examines the evolution of garments to allow greater freedom of movement and assesses changes from the era when women faced restrictive norms to today, where sportswear also influences everyday fashion. Emphasis is placed on technological innovations and their effects on the flexibility and durability of clothing, reflecting the development from Coco Chanel to contemporary designers. Running until January 5, 2025, this exhibition offers a comprehensive look at how sport and fashion influence each other.

9. Laurent Perbos and His Six Olympic Venuses at Palais Bourbon, until September 22

Palais Bourbon joins the cultural Olympics program with an exhibition featuring six sculptures by renowned artist Laurent Perbos. Titled "Beauty and Gesture," the project combines ancient sculpture with modern sports. Perbos reinterprets the famous Venus de Milo into various Olympic disciplines such as tennis, surfing, basketball, Paralympic archery, boxing, and javelin throw. The project deliberately employs a chromatic spectrum symbolizing rainbow colors, highlighting equality and the fight against discrimination. Perbos infuses the sculptures with athletic poses that not only represent the Olympics and Paralympics but also challenge stereotypes associated with sports and masculinity, emphasizing inclusivity and values of equality. These Venus sculptures in different sports stances celebrate beauty and athletic gestures, reflecting the Olympic spirit. Learn more about it here.

10. SPOT24 on Rue Jacques Chirac, until December 31

Near the Eiffel Tower, the exciting SPOT24 exhibition focuses on new Olympic disciplines such as breakdancing, BMX freestyle, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and 3x3 basketball. These sports, born in bustling urban streets, reflect specific lifestyles and identities. Today, enthusiasts and amateurs have become top athletes, and their inclusion in the Olympics and Paralympics ushers in a new era of modernity in sports. Prepared in collaboration with the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on these urban sports through a rich collection and cultural program that includes sports lessons, workshops, and competitions. The permanent exhibition is complemented by temporary displays, showcasing fascinating exhibits such as original murals by PichiAvo, posters and watches from the Keith Haring x Swatch collection, vinyl records from renowned New York seller Lord Funk, and stop-motion videos by Patagraph, known for Orelsan's "La Quête." Visitors can also explore miniaturized Parisian streets with finger skate elements by Nicolas Pierre, Polynesian artist surfboards, and photographs and sculptures by talented French artist Léo Caillard.

11. "Sport and Beyond" at Galerie Almine Rech, until December 31

Sport and Beyond at Galerie Almine Rech brings together three prominent American artists, each offering a unique approach. Jeff Koons presents a new work from his Gazing Balls series with a sports twist: a sculpture inspired by the Borghese Gladiator (circa 100 BC) from the Louvre, surrounded by colorful glass spheres that merge ancient and modern elements. Laurie Simmons employs artificial intelligence, her "collaborator," to create images that are then modified with silk printing and added details like swimming caps and stones. Hank Willis Thomas celebrates the athletic career of Jesse Owens with a retroreflective collage, highlighting Owens's Olympic gold medals from the 1936 Berlin Games as symbols of resistance against Nazi ideology. Thomas underscores the political and social contexts of sport with his sculpture Endless Column III (2017), inspired by Constantin Brâncuși, which changes color based on viewing angle, emphasizing diverse perspectives.

For more on the history of the cultural Olympics, you can read here.