Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the National Assembly has been offering free public access for several months, thanks to the will of President Yaël Braun-Pivet. The Palais Bourbon is participating in the Cultural Olympiad by welcoming six contemporary art sculptures on its steps that celebrate the Olympic spirit by combining sports and art. The sculptures are by renowned artist Laurent Perbos, who was inspired by the Venus de Milo. The French artist conceived this installation, assigning each sculpture an Olympic discipline: basketball, boxing, javelin throwing, para-archery, surfing and tennis. The works will be on view until Sept. 22, 2024, throughout the period of the games.

As mentioned above, it is evident that the inspiration comes from the iconography of the Venus de Milo. The six female figures are made of acrylic resin, each with an object related to its sport, a symbolic representation that challenges the traditional idea that associates sports with the male gender, thus reflecting the evolution of the Olympic Games.

Courtesy Laurent Perbos