“Performance” is the second of three exhibitions developed to accompany the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic games in one of the world’s most unique exhibition spaces: the Trento Tunnels (Le Gallerie di Piedicastello). It was preceded by “Records” (Jan. -Dec. 2024) and will be followed by “Competitions” (Jan.-Nov. 2026). All three are supported by the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino (FMST); the second was organized in collaboration with the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. Working with a team from FMST and the superb XY-comm design studio in Milan, I developed the original exhibition concept, textual supports, and art directed the two exhibitions to date; the heavy lifting on the accompanying data visualization project was expertly carried out by Kim Albrecht, Giacomo Nanni, and Dario Rodighiero.
Here is some video documenting the kaleidoscope that serves as an entryway to the exhibition:
At the center of each of the three exhibitions is an immersive and interactive experiment in data storytelling, developed by the Harvard and Berlin metaLABs featuring Kim Albrecht, Giacomo Nanni, and Dario Rodighiero. It is currently divided into two main storytelling pathways: ALL TOGETHER NOW (a macro view) and ONE BY ONE (a series of curated micro narratives). The first provides a comprehensive view of the evolution of the Winter Olympic Games from their foundation in 1924 to 2024 in a single, aggregate visualization including national teams, individual sports, and individual athletes; the second consists in an anthology of stories of individual athletes, both celebrated and little known, and their participation in the Winter Olympic Games from 1924 to 2024.
We are currently reflecting upon how to further develop and extend our work in preparation for the “Competitions” show, as well as contemplating how to ensure its wider dissemination and some future (perhaps even permanent) home.
The component visualizations are available online at:
And here’s an introduction to Data Storytelling: 100 Years of Olympic History (in English and Italian):