Olympism Made Visible

While the Olympic spirit comes to life in the magic of each edition of the Olympic Games, it also lives well beyond the great sporting event, thanks to the work of global organisations supported by the IOC and independent individuals and programs that share a common goal: to create a better world through sport.

Olympism Made Visible is an international photography initiative led by the Olympic Museum that looks beyond professional sporting competition to trace the Olympic values and their impact when sport is placed at the service of humankind through community-based activities around the world.

How does the practice of sport make a difference in people’s lives, from young girls and women in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, to refugees at a camp in Rwanda, to ordinary citizens in urban centres across the globe? Olympism Made Visible explores the power of sport as a tool for social development and change through the eyes of acclaimed photographers who work at the intersection of fine art and social documentary.

Since the project’s launch in 2018, twelve international artists have been invited by the Olympic Museum to each contribute a set of 15-20 original photographs on a given topic relating to the role of sport and Olympic values in society, in such areas as gender equality, conflict resolution through sport, and health and active communities. Their creative perspectives have shaped a unique photography collection that today comprises more than 200 museum-quality prints, a powerful and lasting contribution to the legacy and patrimony of the Olympic Movement.

EXHIBITIONS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

Photographs from Olympism Made Visible are shared with the general public through exhibitions and special installations realised by the Olympic Museum in collaboration with cultural partners including photography festivals, museums, and city agencies, to bring visibility and positive recognition to organisations and individuals around the world who put Olympism into action by helping to change people’s lives for the better through sport, in often challenging circumstances.

Exhibitions of selected works from Olympism Made Visible realised to date include presentations at:

• Kolga Tbilisi Photo, Tbilisi, Georgia (May 5-29, 2023)
• SPRINT Photography Festival, Albi, France (April 29-May 14, 2023)
• Milan Image Art Fair, Milano, Italy (April 28-May 1, 2022)
• Thailand Biennale, Korat, Thailand (December 18, 2021 – March 31, 2022)
• Olympic Agora, Tokyo, Japan (July 1-August 15, 2021)
• Olympism in Action Forum, Buenos Aires, Argentina (October 5-6, 2018)