MSU professor leads Paris community art project
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– A Michigan State University professor and Olympian is once again part of the Olympics, but this time, it’s through art.
Kelly Salchow MacArthur is leading a community art project for the games – that’ll set the tone for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We live in the moment when we are either in the act of sport or in the act of creating something artistic,” MacArthur said.
After photographing U.S children playing sports, she spent a week in Paris, where she led hands-on workshops with children using her photos & words to create collages- that she says touches on Olympic values.
“There are great opportunities to reach broad audiences and create positive messages for social and environmental progress,” MacArthur said.
Macarthur was part of the games herself, with her rowing team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia- and can understand the importance of this ‘Olympic spirit’ as an athlete.
“I was incredibly humbled at that moment, and I always had. I also had a sense that I wouldn’t feel that level of amazement again in my life when I was racing,” MacArthur said.
Macarthur hopes the Olympic Artist Program experience lives on in the memories of the children that she met and created with.
“We forged really great connections and friendships across our cultures, ” MacArthur said.
“I thought it was a great sign that they wanted to keep the collages and the photographs that they worked on, and I hope that those will be reminders of our time together.”
MacArthur said the workshops she led were the first in a series of five community-based art projects in the lead-up to the Olympics.
This summer, there will be original artworks on display by other selected Olympians and Paralympians.
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