Tokyo 2020; Artists selected to create Games posters

Tokyo, 31 July 2019 –The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) yesterday announced that renowned Japanese and overseas artists have been selected to produce works of art encapsulating themes from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. These will be featured in posters depicting the Tokyo 2020 spirit and vision, part of a programme all host cities are required to implement aimed at building awareness of and momentum towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As part of the selection process, an Artist Selection Committee was formed comprising senior figures from the worlds of art, culture and design (see below). The Committee has selected the artists to produce artwork in liaison with the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, and these will be produced in poster form by the end of the year. They will be displayed at exhibitions in public spaces and will feature on licensed products from the beginning of 2020 with the aim of raising awareness of the approaching Tokyo 2020 Games.

The participating artists and designers include famous Japanese manga artists and calligraphers, a number of leading young figures from the Japanese art world and other famous Japanese artists, designers and photographers. They also include four overseas artists who have won numerous awards in Japan and overseas.

About Official Art Posters:
Since the early 20th century, posters have been created by Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOGs) to promote and advertise this major sporting and cultural event. With their broad popular appeal and bold, easily recognizable imagery, Olympic posters continue to capture the international imagination and help establish each Games’ specific look and feel. Some OCOGs have commissioned internationally renowned artists and designers to create highly individualistic posters and to leave a powerful legacy forever associated with a specific edition of the Olympic. Many of these Olympic art posters have become artistic and cultural icons. More recently, Paralympic posters have been specifically created for each Paralympic Games.