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Description
Art competitions were an integral part of the official Olympic programme from 1912 to 1948. Medals were awarded for works of art inspired by sport. Previous studies focused on the aesthetic thought and its evolution , but seldom paid attention to its connection with politics. Based on a case study of the official archives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and prize-winning artworks, this paper attempts to assess the intrinsic connection between art competition and politics in the context of the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe. Coubertin expressed the Olympic ideal of sport and world peace in his 1912 literary gold medal Ode to Sport. However, the study believes that the participation of the government has intensified the conflict between the two ideologies in the art works, namely nationalism and cosmopolitanism. The state, as the main political entity, often appropriates the art competition. The host country tried to carry out political propaganda through art competition. For example, The posters and entries of the 1936 Berlin Art Competition were mostly about the grandeur of the German nation.The participating countries, especially those newly independent after World War I and World War II, use the artwork as a tool to build and strengthen national identity. At the same time, the artist expressed the accusation of war and the desire for peace through his artworks as an active resistance to politicization.
Key words: Olympic Art Competition; political propaganda; nationalism; national identity; Olympic ideal.
