Grace LATZ (USA)
Olympian Artist – Multimedia and fiber art: Paris 2024
After a successful collegiate rowing career, including a school-first conference team championship, she continued training for the United States national team. She competed as a finalist in the women’s quadruple sculls at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Inspired by the collaborative nature of quilting, Latz teamed up with a group of senior citizens in Paris in the autumn of 2023 to repurpose scraps of recycled sports clothing into a quilt featuring the Olympic emblem. Weaving some of her own gear – and memories from her days as an elite athlete – into the piece, Latz explored the overlap between individual and shared experiences through her intergenerational project, and themes related to environmental sustainability and art as a form of social practice.
“When I hung up my oars I thought my Olympic journey was done, but there continues to be a thread that connects me through sport to a global community”
She continues to stay involved with rowing as an athlete representative, coach, womens sports advocate, and announcer, covering the 2024 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Trials a few months after completing her Olympian Artist workshop.
ARTISTIC PROJECT
Grace LATZ - Olympian Artist workshop in Paris
Grace LATZ - Olympian Artist workshop in Paris
Grace LATZ - Olympian Artist workshop in Paris
Questions and answers
What parallels do you see between the practice of sport and art?
I find the artistic process is very similar to sport. It demands mental focus, goal-setting, and presence with the task at hand; requires mastery of the process and equipment gained through practice to achieve a state of creative flow; relies on communication and collaboration with others involved; it has the potential to foster community, dialogue, and connection.
How are both of these endeavours important to you?
Art and sport are forms of self expression, just different mediums. I need movement and creativity every day, and both are even more enjoyable when shared! Both of these endeavors have greatly influenced the direction of my life. Where others saw them as completely opposite pursuits, I’ve always seen them as complementary and endlessly intertwined. I’m beyond grateful to have the opportunity to demonstrate that overlap through projects such as this one.
To you personally, what does being an Olympian mean – how does it define your approach to life and how you view yourself and the world?
I found my Olympic sport by chance and once hooked, I chose to be endlessly curious about unlocking the next level. I continued to follow that focus all the way to compete in the Olympic Games, which required me to unlock a high level of self-mastery, but also be a teammate who brings out the best in others. The same process can be applied to other endeavors, as it often is with Olympians who are endlessly colorful individuals who chase excellence and proudly shine through their passion for life in a way that brings others along for the journey. I think that’s the sign of a life well lived, that you’re fully spent at the end for all that you spent time on with those who match and benefit from your energy, just as you would at the end of an Olympic final.
meet the artists
Olympian Artists at Paris 2024
