City of Dreams Macau: Laurent Perbos' Artletics and Beauty and Gesture Exhibitions

Dive into a mesmerizing blend of athletic prowess and artistic innovation at City of Dreams Macau, where French contemporary artist Laurent Perbos unveils his dual exhibitions: Artletics and Beauty and Gesture. Timed perfectly before the 15th National Games in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, his immersive artworks redefine the relationship between sports and art, exploring power, beauty, and resilience through interactive installations that are certain to captivate art lovers and sports enthusiasts alike.

Held on October 20, the dazzling opening ceremony brought together an elite lineup, featuring Melco Resorts & Entertainment Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho, Perbos, and top athletes including badminton sensation Coleman Wong, table tennis champion Yining Zhang, and weightlifting powerhouse Yueru Li. City of Dreams Macau President Tim Kelly stood alongside Ho and Perbos, highlighting the exhibitions as a cultural prelude to the landmark Games – the first to be jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau.

In his opening speech, Ho emphasized the exhibitions' role in enriching Macau's artistic landscape. "Laurent Perbos' Artletics and Beauty and Gesture not only reimagine the art-sports connection but elevate Macau's multicultural narrative," Ho stated. "We invite visitors to discover the humanistic elegance emerging from competition and creativity. City of Dreams remains committed to sparking cross-disciplinary exchanges with a global outlook and local charm."

Echoing this, Perbos – the 1971-born Bordeaux native now based between Paris and Marseille – reflected on art's universal appeal. "Art erases boundaries, serving as a common language that bridges cultures, distances, and dialects," he said. "Exhibiting in Macau fills me with honor, fostering a profound exchange between French creativity and Chinese vitality." Renowned for his interdisciplinary flair, Perbos infuses sports themes into Artletics, deconstructing iconic scenes into playful spaces that fuse together familiarity and surprise.

Running indoors until January 4, 2026, Artletics channels the National Games' energy across three iconic sections. "Dream Court" showcases Perbos' custom Aire installation: a tennis court flipped upside down, with synthetic turf and spatial distortions plunging guests into an alternate athletic universe. "Body Myth" plays with optical illusions, transforming a basketball-dribbling Venus de Milo into fragmented busts of Greek heroes and deities in a witty contemporary twist on ancient icons that humorously unpacks the ironies of strength.

To cap it off, "Ping-Pong Garden" reinvents table tennis with warped, interconnected tables forming surreal playgrounds. The highlight, Puzzle, links three tables for seven simultaneous players, promoting joyful, rule-bending interactions. As Perbos noted, "This isn't passive viewing – it's active engagement."

Outdoors, Beauty and Gesture – viewable until November 26, 2025 – arrives fresh from its Paris 2024 Olympics debut at France's National Assembly. Six vibrant, arm-restored Venus de Milo sculptures each grasp Olympic tools like javelins or discuses, recasting the love goddess as a beacon of determination and transcendence. "Reconstructing her arms symbolizes resilience and drive, mirroring the Olympics' ideals of freedom, equality, and brotherhood," Perbos explained.

The launch night's tennis court dinner amplified the vibe, with performances that blended together the athleticism of dancers and the artistry of musicians under the stars in a fitting overture to the exhibitions' spirit.

As a Melco Resorts cornerstone, City of Dreams Macau continues to weave world-class art into the region's fabric, from international showcases to boundary-blurring initiatives. Perbos' works pay homage to the 2025 National Games' athletic zeal, boosting Macau's status as a cultural tourism hub. Ho reaffirmed, "It's about global dialogue grounded in local roots."

Experience Artletics and Beauty and Gesture at City of Dreams Macau, where Olympian spirit meets cutting-edge art, creating unforgettable Macau memories. Plan your visit today to witness this fusion of motion and muse in the heart of the Greater Bay Area.