The Posters of the 1972 Olympics

The 1972 Summer Olympics were the second Summer Olympics to be held in Germany, after the 1936 Games in Berlin, which had taken place under the Nazi regime. Mindful of the connection, the West German Government were anxious to take the opportunity of the Munich Olympics to present a new, democratic and optimistic Germany to the world, as shown by the Games’ official motto, “the Happy Games.” The emblem of the Games was a blue solar logo (the “Bright Sun”). The Olympic mascot, the dachshund “Waldi”, was the first officially named Olympic mascot.

–Wikipedia

That “democratic and optimistic” look also translated to the creation of some seriously beautiful posters for the games.  Just look …

Josef Albers

Pierre Soulages

Victor Vasarely

Horst Antes

Eduardo Chillida

Allen Jones

Max Bill

Tom Wesselmann

Peter Phillips

Unfortunately, these games are primarily remembered as the Olympics of the tragic Munich Massacre—the murder of 11 Israeli athletes by members of the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September. So much for the “Happy Games.”

Martí Guixé and Endless Possibility

Martí Guixé is a Spanish-born designer (who now lives between Barcelona and Berlin). His creations aren’t so much about what he wants you to see, but more about what the owner/creator wants to make for themselves – a toy with seeds for eyes that you can keep and cherish, or plant to create life; a blank clock that allows you to keep time however you want; tape that allows you to create a road across any terrain, or a picture frame around any masterpiece. Guixé used a similar theory in the creation of his coloring books below…

Blank Book is an empty book that offers unlimited scope for the imagination: it’s not a “book-to-be-read”, but a “book-to-be-created”.

Whereas they were once taboo, now tattoos are just about everywhere – from the arms of the toughest guys, to the ankles of the daintiest girls – every hipster/jock/bad boy/intellectual seems to have one.  But if you aren’t ready to commit to the real thing, or your parents won’t let you, you can fantasize about the ink you might one day get with the Tattoo Book.  Use shapes and colours to create your own personal paper body you and you can have another blank one anytime you wish!

No matter if you love traditional or exotic cuisine, cheap fast food or the most carefully prepared 10-course meal, Food Book is a banquet on paper with your all your favorite dishes.  And paper provides just the right way to improvise a meal without the risk of offending taste!