A nine-meter-tall Olympic-themed tapestry by artist and writer Marjane Satrapi was unveiled in Paris on Tuesday, March 12, ahead of the Olympics, which open on July 26.
Split into three panels, the wool tapestry depicts a javelin thrower, a skateboarder, a breakdancer, and two athletes leaping toward each other under the arches of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Breakdancing and skateboarding are two of the sports recently added to the modern Olympic Games. Skateboarding will be his debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (to be held in 2021), and breakdancing will be his debut this year in Paris. His two central figures represent the equality of men and women in competitive sports.
Mr. Satrapi was born in Rasht, Iran, in 1969 and grew up in Tehran during the Iranian revolution. She settled in Europe in her 20s and currently lives in Paris. She is an outspoken supporter of women's rights. Publishers Weekly 2023: “If you have a voice, if you’re the kind of person that people will actually listen to, then you have to do it.” [raise awareness]. But don't talk too much. Too many words will result in zero. I'm calculating when I can be efficient. ”
Satrapi became famous for his graphic novels. persepolis (the year of 2000). This autobiographical coming-of-age story was later made into his 2008 film, for which Satrapi was nominated for an Academy Award. “Finally, I too am considered French!” she told reporters after being assigned the tapestry project.
Olympic triptych tapestry created by Marjane Satrapi for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images.
Satrapi said she was contacted by the Olympic Committee by phone. “When I got the call, I thought it was a hoax, but it wasn't. I was so happy, so honored, so happy, but also so stressed,” she said.
This tapestry took three years to create in collaboration with artisans from France's National Mobilier. This triptych was woven by Louis the team at his Gobelin workshop, a historic tapestry factory founded in the 17th century that had worked for the French monarchy since the time of his XIV reign. Mobilier National is the manager of the Gobelins and Beauvais plants.
The 132-pound tapestry was unveiled at the Mobilier National and will be on public display at the Hotel de la Marine starting June 21st. After the Paralympic Games conclude, the installation is scheduled to head to Nice, where the 2030 Winter Olympics will be held. Paris in September. The first part of the triptych was unveiled at the Manufacture de Beauvais last March, 500 days before the opening of the Paris Games.
Other cultural events planned to coincide with the Olympics include the exhibition “Olympism: Modern inventions, ancient legacies” at the Louvre. The museum has come under intense scrutiny for raising admission prices ahead of an expected influx of tourists to the French capital for the Olympics.
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