It all began in 1912 when, during the Stockholm Olympic Games, the organizers proposed the project of an official graphic poster for the Olympics. Since then, there hasn’t been an edition without its official poster created by an artist from the host nation. This year for the 2024 Olympics, which will take place in Paris from July 26th to August 11th, the Organizing Committee has chosen the work of French illustrator Ugo Gattoni. The poster is the first in history to be horizontal, to be precise, it is a diptych, thus a horizontal image divided into two parts. Gattoni’s colorful and detail-rich world proves successful for the poster, which, unlike previous ones, is loaded with numerous symbols and elements that refer both to the city of Paris and to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In the past, posters were much simpler and graphic, less illustrated, less artwork. It is interesting to note the evolution of these posters, which somehow allow us to retrace the different trends that have characterized the history of graphic design. Let’s take a step back and discover some of them.
From minimalist posters to Gattoni’s super colorful one
Made in Liberty style, the first official Olympic poster is created for the Stockholm Summer Olympic Games, completely reflecting the style of the time. Actually, this is not the first image we have of the Olympics, there are previous examples but never made official. The one from 1912 is therefore the first to become the official image, as well as the graphic communication of the event. It is from 1924 onwards that the image began to become promotional and assume an advertising role, sometimes becoming more stylized and focusing on the Olympic logo characterized by the five interlocking rings. Throughout history, it is evident how minimalism takes hold starting from the 1960s, preferring the use of little text, few colors, and images. For this reason, Paris’ choice this year is interesting, opting for Ugo Gattoni’s super colorful aesthetic, which is anything but minimalist.
The 2024 Olympics poster is a utopian and surreal fresco of Paris
The official poster for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games is signed by Ugo Gattoni. But who is he? He is one of the most sought-after illustrators in the world. A Parisian by birth, Gattoni has collaborated with some of the world’s best-known fashion houses, including Hermès and Nike. His illustrations propose imaginary, surreal, dizzying worlds. Rich in details and colors, with his cartoonish style, he can create a visual storytelling that captures attention. For the official poster of the 2024 Olympics, Gattoni plays with the symbols of the city, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Seine, and the gardens of Versailles, here in dialogue with the Olympics mascots and with more than forty sports, meticulously drawn. Overall, the diptych appears as “a fresco of sport in the city, an ode to our motto: ‘Open Games’ that tells the story of our Games, a story that is festive, moving, and universal at the same time, and that speaks to each of us,” reads the statement. Ugo Gattoni himself stated that he “immediately imagined a city-stadium open to the world,” continuing: “For me, this project must be timeless. It is based on the golden ratio and has a strong academic foundation, with much architecture present. Its originality lies both in its surreal and utopian aspect, and in the composition that contains thousands of details.”
Courtesy Ugo Gattoni & Olympics
