Barcelona 1992: Sports Pictograms

Barcelona 1992: Sports Pictograms

Designer: Josep Maria Trias

Since Tokyo 1964, sports pictograms have been an integral part of the Olympic Games, both in summer and winter. Gerhard Joksch/Otl Aicher set a first milestone in this respect with their pictograms for Munich 1972. Although the Munich forms served as a starting point, the choice of style in which the pictograms of Barcelona 1992 are drawn was far more bold and free. The geometric forms have been replaced by brush strokes, as we already find them in the emblem of the Games. This is no coincidence, because the graphic artist who designed the emblem was also responsible for these pictograms: Josep Maria Trias. The competitor’s body is reduced to three elements in the sports pictogram: head, arms and legs. The representation is analogous to the characteristic movements of each sport. In addition, there are symbolic references to the competition sites, such as the water sports, where the water line is visible through the ribbon. Sports equipment such as balls, rackets, nets, wheels, swords, rifles or bows can be found where they are central to a sport. There were 32 sports pictograms for Barcelona 92: one each for the 25 official sports and the three demonstration competitions taekwondo, roller hockey and Basque pelota, plus four for variants of the water sports, namely for synchronised swimming, diving, water polo and slalom canoeing; the latter in contrast to flat water canoeing.