Installation by Leandro Erlich for the Youth Olympic Games

As part of the Olympic Art Project, a new program of artist commissions that seeks to reinterpret the connections between sport and culture and foster new conversations about Olympic values, the International Olympic Committee commissioned Argentinean artist Leandro Erlich the creation of a large-scale interactive installation for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games held between October 6 and October 18 in the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Titled Ball Game, the monumental installation created by Erlich consists of five giant balls (football, basketball, volleyball, tennis ball, and golf ball) that will initially be exhibited on October 5 outside the Buenos Aires Exhibition and Convention Centre, during the Olympism in Action Forum. Seeking greater public participation, on October 7 Erlich invites spectators to adopt a more active role by moving the balls across the space, generating in this manner a performance that will reach the Parque Tres de Febrero at the city's Planetarium Galileo Galilei. According to Erlich, "It is a friendly invitation to spectators to move past day to day life and into a more imaginary realm in which to experience a shared sense of purpose; as they move the monumental objects in the same direction, just like we aspire to move in the future as a society and as a global community." Likewise, the installation reflects the Olympic ideals and values onto a country that is passionate about sports and the arts. About this, Francis Gabet, Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, said the following: "His installation reflects the Olympic ideals of humanity in movement, in celebration of sporting achievements, in the same manner that the Olympic Movement unites to address important issues that are relevant to the future of sports and society during the Olympism in Action Forum."