By MB Online
Japan recently released the official art posters for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and they perfectly illustrate the beauty of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and togetherness.
A total of 20 posters were released by Japan early January to promote the games -- 12 for the Olympics in July, and eight for the Paralympics in August.
Wild Things - Hachilympic, Tomoko Konoike
One of the art pieces for the Olympics, "Wild Things - Hachilympic," was made by Tomoko Konoike, a famous Japanese contemporary artist.
Konoike, in describing her art for the games, said, "As animals, each human being grasps the world with totally different perceptions. We see the world through our own umwelts (the world as experienced by a particular organism). None are the same. No words are identical. No light is identical."
"lf the Olympic Games prepare themselves for that and address it honestly, then in time, a new ecosystem, filled with the senses, for a small organism, will begin to function," she added.
"Flow Line", Daijiro Ohara
Another standout among the posters was graphic artist Daijiro Ohara's "flow line."
Ohara said his artwork "represents the anticipated line of movement of the Olympic flame from Greece to Tokyo for the 2020 Games, and the more than 800 municipalities on the course of the torch relay in Japan."
"What could possibly link an individual with an event in which world-class athletes compete? It is not easy to grasp what does connect a huge-scale event with an individual—such connections can be erratic, or elusive." he added.
"Space Kicker", Shinro Ohtake
Japanese painter Shinro Ohtake's "Space Kicker" was inspired by an Olympic scnee in an alternate unvierse.
"A pink figure appears out of nowhere.
Without so much as a blink, the figure nonchalantly does kick-ups with a bright red ball.
Is this the “god of games”?" he said.
Ohtake added that he decided to create his "imagine universe" through paper cutting.
"I cut out unfinished artwork and, along with scraps of printed matter and random bits of colored paper found in the studio, threw it in the air. And the “Space Kicker” spontaneously appeared where the multicolored fragments had landed."
Other art posters for the Olympics were created by manga artist Naoki Urasawa (Now It's Your Turn!), calligrapher Shoko Kanazawa (Fly High!), graphic designer Taku Satoh (Olympic Cloud), art director Theseus Chan (Extreme Revelations), photographers Takashi Homma (Tokyo Children) and Viviane Sassen (Ludus), and artists Chris Ofili (The Games People Play), Asao Tokolo (Harmonized Chequered Emblem Study for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games), and Philippe Weisbecker (Olympic Stadium).
Meanwhile, Japan's art posters for the August Paralympics were equally exquisite and striking.
"Higher than the Rainbow", Mika Ninagawa
Photographer and film director Mika Ninagawa said her piece, "Higher than the Rainbow," was done "simply" with a press on shutter button.
"Para-athletes are cool. This simple message is what this picture is about. Much in the way voids give birth to creative works, the spontaneous is often the source of something transcendental," she said.
"Offense No.7", Tomoyuki Shinki
Tomoyuki Shinki, meanwhile, featured wheelchair basketball in his art -- a sport which "resonated" with him.
"The full-on engagement of players and their tremendous speed and strength makes the games extremely heated," Shinki said.
"I chose bright, uplifting colors. The crowd is totally enthralled by the passionate matches. Players are giving it their all. I tried to capture that energy using bright colors," he added.
Other art posters for the Olympics were created by Akira Yamaguchi (Horseback Archery), Chihiro Mori (Beyond the Curve ), Asao Tokolo (Harmonized Chequered Emblem Study for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games), Hirohiko Araki (The Sky above The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa), Koji Kakinuma (Open), and Goo Choki Par (Paralympian).