Still time, just, to buy official Olympics posters, online

Kay Atwal, Chief Reporter Friday, October 5, 2012
7:00 AM

Olympics fans keen to get their hands on Games memorabilia can still buy the official posters from the London 2012 Online Shop.

Tracey Emin's 'Birds 2012', the official poster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games Picture: Getty Images

They will have to be quick though; it closes at the end of this month.

Art and sport fans can still buy Rachel Whiteread’s ‘LOndOn 2O12’, the official poster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and Tracey Emin’s ‘Birds 2012’, the official poster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The two artworks are part of a collection of specially commissioned images by twelve of the UK’s leading artists to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

You can also buy copies of the images by Fiona Banner, Michael Craig-Martin, Martin Creed, Tracey Emin, Anthea Hamilton, Howard Hodgkin, Gary Hume, Sarah Morris, Chris Ofili, Bridget Riley, Bob and Roberta Smith and Rachel Whiteread as both posters (£7 from www.london2012.com/shop) and limited edition prints (from www.countereditions.com). Both posters and prints are still available to purchase and, after the London 2012 Online Shop closes, will continue to be available from retail outlets.

The two posters, selected by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee as the official posters of the Olympic and Paralympic Games respectively, will be on display at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: “These brilliant posters by some of the UK’s leading artists will be a fitting reminder of the high quality, skill and creativity demonstrated during the London 2012 Games.”

Since 1912 each Olympic host city has commissioned one or more posters to celebrate the hosting of the Games and since the first Paralympic Games was held at Stoke Mandeville posters have also been commissioned for the Paralympic Games.

Over the last century a body of iconic work has been created and previous artists who have created an Olympic poster include David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.