Life in Britain would be more boring without the Olympic Games. It's the biggest sporting event in the world and, for me, each of the events is like an individual artistic spectacle. A spectacle means something to look at and, since artists are experts at making spectacles, it seems logical that art
and The Games are compatible.
I think that artists and athletes are not so different; both are trying to live better, run faster, create something more beautiful.
It felt great to be asked to design one of the official posters. It's exciting but scary as well. With such a large audience, a lot of people could like it, but it also means a lot of people could hate it.
Five different brush sizes from big to small piled on top of each other in a ziggurat shape make up
the design for my poster. It is a graphic, minimalist painting, with each of the brushmarks equivalent
to one of the Olympic rings, and the pyramid shape of the strokes somewhat resembling a podium.
For the London 2012 Festival, I've also written a piece of music that consists of ringing all of the bells in the UK as quickly and loudly as possible for three minutes at 8 o'clock on the morning that The Games open. I was inspired by the idea that there should be a big celebration, like when someone gets married. If we manage to get enough people ringing all the bells in Britain, it will be possible to hear them almost everywhere across the country.
I grew up watching Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe competing. Those middle distance races are my favourite event. They are long enough to have a bit of a story to them. When you see someone winning or losing right in front of you, it's a little story that plays out before you, and that is amazing.
Martin Creed is a Turner Prize winner and designer of one of the official London 2012 posters.
Interview by Ianthe Butt. Visit london2012.com/festival
blog comments powered by
