Official Olympic And Paralympic Posters Unveiled

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 148 months ago
Official Olympic And Paralympic Posters Unveiled
Rachel Whiteread
Rachel Whiteread
(STRICTLY EMBARGOED until 13.00 GMT 4 November 2011) Anthea Hamilton Divers. Anthea Hamilton creates narrative environments through sculptural assemblage and collage. Her work in part is informed by the history of physical prowess and representations of the human, especially female, body. In Divers the poised legs seem to capture a gymnastic pose or show, perhaps a synchronised swimmer diver holding a balletic position. Interestingly, the only Olympic sport exclusively contested by women is synchronised swimming. Divers evokes the engaging theatricality of synchronised swimming, perhaps the most artistically challenging sport of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Anthea Hamilton
(STRICTLY EMBARGOED until 13.00 GMT 4 November 2011) Howard Hodgkin Swimming. Howard Hodgkin describes his paintings as representational pictures of emotional situations. For his Olympic print Hodgkin has created Swimming ? a deep, swirling mass of blue flooding across the page. In the darkest area of colour the outline of a figure can be made out as if pushing off after a tumble turn.  The fluidity of the brushstrokes perfectly captures the movement of water and the sensation of swimming.
Howard Hodgkin
Chris Ofili
Chris Ofili
Bridget Riley
Bridget Riley
Martin Creed
Martin Creed
Fiona Banner
Fiona Banner
Michael Craig-Martin
Michael Craig-Martin
Tracy Emin
Tracy Emin
Gary Hume
Gary Hume
Sarah Morris
Sarah Morris
Bob and Roberta Smith
Bob and Roberta Smith

Twelve specially commissioned posters to celebrate the Olympic (first six pictured) and Paralympic Games (second six) were unveiled at Tate Britain today.

The artists were selected by a panel drawn from LOCOG and Tate, aiming for 'artistic excellence'. The brief encouraged them "to celebrate the Games coming to London and to look at the values of the Olympic and Paralympic games."

What do you think? On first look, we're quite keen on Whiteread's Olympic rings, Craig-Martin's stopwatch and the Smiths' 'Love'.

We will continue to champion the clean and modern designs of Alan Clarke, though (come on, TfL!)

If you want to find out what the posters are about, you can look up their blurbs online. A full set has been gifted to the Queen for the Royal Collection, the Government Art Collection to display in 10 Downing Street and the British Council to showcase overseas. You can buy prints of them for £7 a pop at the 2012 shop.

It was also announced today that Martin Creed will get another Olympic big-up, when his Work No. 1197: All the bells in a country rung as quickly and as loudly as possible for three minutes is performed throughout the UK — ie cometh the hour of the campanologists — to celebrate the first day of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the London 2012 Festival, and to welcome the 205 competing nations to the UK.

Last Updated 04 November 2011