Over 300 people attended the National Sport Museum during the public opening of the ATHLETES exhibition, a carte blanche given to the famous street artist C215. This was an opportunity for all enthusiasts and curious visitors to discover the numerous portraits created specifically for this exhibition.
Offered at night, with free and open access, this preview presentation launched the museum’s new temporary exhibition, presented from February 10 to May 21. The event was attended by the artist, representatives from the sports world, and numerous athletes including Sarah Ourahmoune, Kevin Tillie, David Smรฉtanine, and Arnaud Assoumani, all invited by Thibault Sarda, the exhibition curator.
Visitors could thus discover a collection of original works, photographs, and videos, which showcased an exploration celebrating athletes and questioned society’s relationship with sports: idolatry, disability, injury, sponsorship, social engagement, doping, racism, and even the issue of refugee acceptance with Yusra Mardini’s participation in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Dedicated to Camille Muffat, Alexis Vastine, and Florence Arthaud, ATHLETES features over 75 stencils depicting legendary French and international athletes, painted mostly on equipment used by the athletes themselves, as well as in the streets.
