Olympic Posters: Miss the Games?

SHAPERO Modern

NOW OPEN until the end of August

The medal table is complete; congratulations to Léon Marchand for coming top and a huge round of applause to TEAM GB for securing so many medals. Paris 2024 has been marked by record-breaking achievements as well as many significant moments: from the opening ceremony, to the introduction of breakdancing, to the creation of this year’s Olympic posters. Of course the most well-known posters were those produced for the 1972 Munich Games, the full collection of first editions of which you can see here at our gallery on Maddox Street.

Oskar Kokoschka, Olympische Spiele München 1972, 1969

Oskar Kokoschka, the first artist commissioned by the Olympic Committee to produce a work for this collection, presented a polarising piece that differed from traditional depictions of athleticism. Critics claimed it looked like a figure who had spent too much time hunched over a desk!

Paul Wunderlich, Olympische Spiele München 1972, 1971

Here, Paul Wunderlich, a student of Kokoschka, combined surrealism with classical Greek ideals in his depiction of the human form, reflecting the idea that the Olympics is a space where reality and imagination intersect, and where the extraordinary becomes possible.

Shusaka Arakawa, Olympische Spiele München 1972, 1970

The Japanese conceptual artist and architect Shusaka Arakawa produced one of the most distinctive pieces for this collection, unique in style and concept, Arakawa haphazardly overlaid a spectrum of coloured paint on top of the 19th Century calotypes by the photographer and scientist Edward Muybridge, and printed it on mylar paper, creating a strikingly individual and instantly recognisable print.

Marino Marini, Olympische Spiele München 1972, 1969

The subject of the horse and the rider symbolised for Marino Marini a deep and mythical connection between man and nature, strength and control, important facets in both sport and art. Through the print’s bold lines and dynamic movement, there is a timeless quality to the print, linking the modern Olympic Games to ancient traditions of competition and excellence.

Charles Lapicque, Faster, Higher, Stronger, 1969

Charles Lapicque’s vibrant illustration reconnects the modern Games with their Ancient Greek roots, depicting athletes alongside classical architecture. As the Games look forward to their next chapter in Los Angeles, this print as well as the rest of the collection on display at our Maddox Street gallery, serves as a reminder of the Olympics’ historical significance and the unwavering tradition of artistic celebration.