Don't miss the latest stories
Tokyo 2020’s Invigorating Paralympic Posters Dance With The Shapes Of Athletes
By Ell Ko, 25 Aug 2021
Subscribe to newsletter
Like us on Facebook
Image via Goo Choki Par / Olympics
Now that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have drawn to an end, the Paralympics are just beginning.
Given the various artistic marvels the Olympics has seen, what better way to commemorate the upcoming Paralympics athletic feats than through a beautifully crafted collection of posters?
This set of 23 posters was designed and created by Goo Choki Par, a three-man-strong Tokyo-based studio. With the theme of “moving forward,” reflecting the determination of all the athletes who have persevered through the uncertainty of a pandemic Games, the trio has utilized tools such as airbrushes and pencils alongside a Japanese color palette.
Image via Goo Choki Par / Olympics
“We’re not artists; we’re graphic designers,” says Asaba of the studio in an interview with the Olympics Committee. “So the important thing for us is ‘to communicate.’”
Each poster represents a sport involved in the ongoing Games, including but not limited to taekwondo, cycling, and triathlon. Geometric shapes and splashes of color make up the form of the athlete in a mesmerizingly abstract way.
Image via Goo Choki Par
Image via Goo Choki Par / Olympics
“We wanted to portray the positive attitude and actions of a person who is looking to the future, and as a symbol of that image we featured a person moving forward,” explains Iitaka, who is also part of Goo Choki Par.
“Diversity comes in many forms—impairments, nationalities, gender and so on—and how beautiful and cool the people are who accept their differences and try to overcome any obstacle they face. That’s what we tried to express.”
Image via Goo Choki Par / Olympics
The trio attended some of the Paralympics events, and cite their experiences as sources of inspiration, too. “After seeing Para sport in action, we wanted to express the positive force of sport through the poster,” says Ishii, another of the trio.
He describes how the poster “vibrantly illustrates athletes who are the centre of attention in sport competitions.”
The full collection of official Tokyo 2020 posters, including Goo Choki Par’s, are available to view on the Olympics website.
[via Creative Bloq, images via Goo Choki Par / Olympics]
Receive interesting stories like this one in your inbox
Also check out these recent news