Los Angeles–based sculptor Alison Saar has been commissioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the city of Paris to create a public sculpture during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. The sculpture will be inaugurated on Olympic Day on June 23rd.
The artist—the daughter of artist Betye Saar, a prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement—will focus on themes of international diversity, equality, and peace.
“It is my hope that this work of art, a gift to the people and the city of Paris, will become a gathering space for the public to experience the spirit of friendship and interconnection across cultures and borders,” said Saar in a press statement.
Saar was unanimously selected by an advisory board comprising IOC representatives, Paris officials, the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, and various unnamed members of the international art community. The work will be produced in Paris, under the artist’s supervision. In a press statement, Saar said, “By employing French craftspeople, we are not only reducing our costs and our carbon footprint, we also are supporting local talents and suppliers.”
Saar’s work will follow French artist Xavier Veilhan’s contribution, The Audience (2021), presented at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo. Her work will also create a connection between Paris and Los Angeles, the city that will host the upcoming 2028 Games.
