a multicultural sculpture, symbol of the Games, unveiled in Paris

Entitled “Salon”, the statue is intended as a “space open to all, which promotes dialogue and allows meetings”, according to its designer Alison Saar, a 68-year-old Californian artist. Unveiled for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sculpture was inaugurated on Sunday June 23 in the afternoon, in the heart of the Charles-Aznavour garden in Paris.

Made of bronze and a volcanic rock resistant to bad weather and environmental pollutants, the statue is made up of several elements, all made by Alison Saar in workshops in Puy-de-Dôme. The work includes a large seated female figure holding olive branches in one hand and a golden flame in the other, as well as six seats, arranged in a circle, from West Africa, Central America , from France, China and Europe. The last element is an antique seat symbolizing the origin of the Olympic Games.

Artist recognized in the United States

Little known in France, Alison Saar was chosen to create the Olympic sculpture in Paris by the Olympic Committee and the City of Paris.for his commitment to the humanist and peace values ​​of Olympism» et «his wish to have local production in order to support French craftsmanship and reduce the carbon footprint», According to the press kit.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Alison Saar has been primarily interested in black female identity for 40 years. Her sculptures and installations, made from reclaimed and natural materials, incorporate elements from diverse African, African-American and Caribbean cultural traditions. In the United States, his works have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum in New York, as well as at Lacma in Los Angeles.

“Salon” is Alison Sarr’s first project in public space outside the United States. The American artist succeeds Frenchman Xavier Veilhan who created a set of sculptures entitled “The Audience” (“The Public”) for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.