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The Look of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: A Visual Arts Commentary by CPM Member Mark Favermann

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 7:42 PM | Michaela Morse (Administrator)

Mark Favermann, urban designer, public artist, CPM member and designer of CPM's new logo, recently published a commentary on the visual branding of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Arts Fuse. In the article he discusses the design process of the Tokyo Olympics' official logo and supporting imagery, and comments on the largely uninspiring results. 

"Dull, flat, and boring, with no discernible personality, the Olympics 2020 graphics made no impact on anyone other than, perhaps, their creator/developers and maybe a (very) few members of the host committee." Favermann writes.

Favermann, who worked on the visual design of the 1996 Centennial Games in Atlanta, also reviews the history of Olympic graphic designs throughout the past century. He explains, "the 'Look of the Games' is seen to be a strategic part of Olympic planning," offering a view of the complex development process that involves commissioning an official logo, designing sports-specific images, creating supplemental signage for venues and streetscapes, and navigating local and group politics.

Read the full commentary on Arts Fuse. Mark Favermann is Associate Editor of The Arts Fuse and publishes articles regularly.

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