Fifteen days before the start of the Paris Olympics, a new photography exhibition designed especially for Morocco opened Thursday at the National Museum of Photography in Rabat.
Entitled “Art and Sport,” the exhibition features a collection of photographs documenting notable moments over the years at the Olympic Games and highlights the Olympic Game values of sharing, solidarity, and fraternity.
A collection of 50 photographs is on display, commemorating significant Olympic milestones such as Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakel’s 1984 Los Angeles Olympic victory, France’s Nikola Karabatic’s performance in the 2021 Tokyo handball final, and Morocco’s Atlas Lions football team achievements at the 2022 World Cup.
The photos explore the deep links which unite sport and art, transforming a purely sporting gesture into a moment of grace and artistic beauty. Through the camera lens, the athletes’ movements are transformed into works of art that arouse new emotions.
Mehdi Qotbi, President of the National Foundation of Museums (FNM), highlighted the unique perspective of the displayed photographs, noting that “this exhibition makes art accessible to a broad audience in Morocco.”
French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier stated that “the exhibition serves to celebrate Moroccan enthusiasm for sports and honors athletes from around the world.”
Former Olympic champion and former sports minister Nawal El Moutawakel commended the exhibition for its effective portrayal of the values associated with sport, as well as its ability to bridge past and future achievements.
Hosted by the French Institute of Morocco in partnership with the FNM, the exhibition offers a new view of sport and the Olympic Games and seeks to celebrate the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris through global artistic events.