News
During the Cultural Olympiad, an exhibition on the steps of the National Assembly, "Beauty and Gesture" by Laurent Perbos
French artist Laurent Perbos has responded to the French National Assembly's request to take part in the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad project. He will be taking over the steps of the Palais Bourbon with an inclusive art installation entitled “Beauty and Gesture”. This public exhibition, which will run for the duration of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, is in keeping with the inclusive philosophy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympism, who placed culture at the heart of Olympic values.
Laurent Perbos' colourful and inclusive work offers a unique perspective by confronting preconceived spaces and manufactured objects in innovative ways. For this special installation, Laurent Perbos takes the myths at the heart of our society and gives them new metamorphoses.
“Beauty and Gesture” consists of six sculptures representing the Venus de Milo. An ode to the beauty of movement, each of the sculptures embodies the spirit of the sportsman or woman who stands out for their values and fair play. They evoke various sports from the Olympic and Paralympic Games (basketball, boxing, javelin, wheelchair archery, surfing and tennis), reflecting the evolution and diversity of these historic events.
Made of acrylic resin and ecologically produced in France, the sculptures are a celebration of the artist's commitment to inclusivity and the values of Olympism. Each Venus is associated with a colour of the rainbow, symbolising equal rights and the fight against discrimination. Each Venus is also an allegory of ultimate femininity, countering the collective imagination that still too often associates sport with masculinity.
A celebrated artist based in Marseille, Laurent Perbos is internationally recognised for his creations, which draw on the world of sport and the Olympics (Hermès, Lacoste, Volvic, Kedge Business School, art centres, Musée National du Sport, etc.). Using a colourful visual language and hijacked forms, his work explores the relationship between spaces and manufactured objects, creating a unique dialogue between art and sport. Laurent Perbos is represented in France by the Baudoin Lebon Gallery.
The production of these works was made possible by the patronage of the Uhoda group. Stéphan Uhoda, an art collector, strives to open up contemporary art and make it accessible to everyone by supporting fun projects that are outside galleries and exhibition spaces.
“Beauty and Gesture” will be on display from 2 April to 22 September 2024 on the steps of the National Assembly, giving the public the chance to admire this striking work during the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the European Heritage Days. This work by Laurent Perbos is also part of the Olympic Flame route. The flame will visit the six Venus de Milo on 14 July, France's national holiday. Guided tours, subject to registration, will be organised by the National Assembly.