konstantin grcic curates exhibition on future of design & sport in paris during 2024 olympics

at musée du luxembourg, 'match: design & sport' showcases 150 pieces and objects that highlight the role of design and technology in various games and activities.

matthew burgos June 18, 2024 6 min

konstantin grcic’s exhibition and the future of design & sport

At Musée du Luxembourg, Konstantin Grcic curates the exhibition MATCH: Design & Sport, an exploration into the future and role of design in sports. The show coincides with the Paris 2024 Olympics, which runs between July 26th and August 11th, and 150 pieces and objects related to sports such as skateboarding are on display in the exhibition, from unique historical pieces, signature icons, commercial products, prototypes, models and commissioned pieces to drawings, prints, projections, films, and interactive applications.

Running from March 13th to August 11th, 2024, the exhibition aims to highlight design in sports that goes beyond the shape, look, and feel of a running shoe or racket. The show begins with the classical image of an athlete and the notion of the superhero or super-athlete, in the form of the Greek sculpture, Diskobolos of Myron. As visitors roam around, they find stadium architecture and sports symbolisms that tie up with social and political impacts. These include the Temporary Autonomous Zone model by Didier Faustino, which is a variation of a fight club, and the replica of the JogBra from 1977, invented by Lisa Lindahl, Polly Smith and Hinda Miller.

konstantin grcic exhibition design sport paris 2024 olympics — MATCH: Design & Sport – A Story Looking to the Future | exhibition design by Konstantin Grcic | all images courtesy of Grand Palais RMN and Musée du Luxembourg | all photos © Didier Plowy for GrandPalaisRmn, 2024, unless stated otherwise

technology in the midst of design and sports

Other objects and important pieces in Konstantin Grcic’s curation for the exhibition MATCH: Design & Sport can be linked to the Paris 2024 Olympics as well as how technology can help put forward the development and breakthroughs related between design and sports. Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot Atlas shows up in the exhibition as a point of discussion between technology, sports, and design, while Versa Foot + Moto Knee Prosthetic Leg assembly by Mike Schulz and g.Nautilus RESEARCH, an EEG Headset used in brain computer interfaces, even further the relationship of technology with design and sports.

In a conversation with Musée du Luxembourg, Konstantin Grcic says some key pieces in the exhibition may underscore the relevance of technology in improving the design for sports. He mentioned 3D-printed helmet inlay, which evolved from the piece of foam that acts as a padding to protect an athlete’s head. Now, designers can use 3D printing for helmets and make them tighter and stronger than before. The curator also brings up Speedgate, a new field game that was designed by artificial intelligence. He adds that it is included in the exhibition to show how design is also about the design of the rules and regulations of a game.

MATCH: Design & Sport can shed light on Paris 2024 Olympics

Konstantin Grcic and MATCH: Design & Sport hope that by the end of the exhibition, visitors are informed and more aware of design’s role in sports and how the former is now focusing on new opportunities with regards to the latter, especially with the use of AI and data. ‘Beyond the rising importance of data which I mentioned earlier, I believe many elements of sports will stay the same. I especially believe humans will always be at the center of sport because people are what make sport sport. The fascination with and emotions surrounding sport are all very human, and the athlete will always be at the center of the game,’ says the curator in a conversation with Musée du Luxembourg.

Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics are coming up, and the exhibition may offer the future of sports without formulating a specific opinion or interpretation. It lays down objects and pieces from robotics, technology, and the general digitization of sports too to pose the role of design in various games and activities. This overarching vision, put forward by Konstantin Grcic, is reflected in the very last image of the show, which is a quote from the Olympic Charter: The Practice of Sport is a Human Right. ‘Though, data, technology, and digitalization will continue to drive developments. Technological developments will bring us much closer to the game,’ adds Konstantin Grcic. The exhibition MATCH: Design & Sport is on display at the Musée du Luxembourg until August 11th, 2024.