Event period : 08.07.2022 – 03.10.2022

Designing for the Olympics

An exhibition on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich
Exhibition view, Design für Olympia.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung- The Design Museum (K. Mewes)

About the exhibition

The Olympic Games took place in Munich in 1972.
This is exactly 50 years ago.
Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum is therefore
making this exhibition.

The biggest sports competitions in the world are:
the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic Games are for athletes with disabilities.
The design for Olympia always matches the country,
the games are being held in.
Thereby, the games constantly inspire new ideas in design.

The Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games are
not only competitions for athletes.
They are also like a competition for sports outfitters and
for venues.

The sports outfitters always make special clothes,
shoes, and sports equipment for the athletes.
But the different countries have different clothes.
The venues have a special design too:
for example with the colours, the fonts or
the clothes of the employees.
Like this, the Olympic Games and
the Paralympic Games will always be unique.

For the Olympic Games 1972, Otl Aicher considered,
which colours can be unique for Munich.
Otl Aicher was an important German Designer.
He designed the posters, the program booklets,
and the sign posts, for example.

The museum shows many examples of design
for the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games
before and after 1972.

Plan a visit

Where?

Open:

  • Daily 10:00 – 18:00

  • Monday closed

  • Thursday 10:00 – 20:00

Highlights

  • Luge helmet, 1975, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, Munich, used by Elisabeth Demleitner, Innsbruck 1976, Loan Elisabeth Demleitner-Seitz
    Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (Kai Mewes)
  • Olle Hjortzberg, Official Poster of the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, 1911, Loan Deutsches Plakatmuseum Essen
    © VG Bildkunst, Bonn 2022. Photo: Museum Folkwang Essen – ARTOTHEK
  • BMW Designworks, Prototype, Racing wheelchair for Team USA, 2015-2016, used during Paralympic Games, Rio 2016
    Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (Kai Mewes)
  • Badiucao, Protest Plakat zu den Olympischen Spielen in Peking 2022, 2021. © Badiucao.
    Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
View of an Olympic track racing bike with disk wheels
Track bike B20-6, 2019, Institut für Forschung und Entwicklung von Sportgeräten (FES), Berlin, ridden by Women’s track cycling four from Germany, Gold, Tokyo 2020/21, Loan FES.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
Side view of monoski with ski S 9 and crutch ski
Martin Braxenthaler, Monoski with Ski S 9 and crutch ski, 2010/2015, Praschberger, Niederndorf; Enabling technologies, Denver; Atomic, Altenmarkt im Pongau, driven by Anna Schaffelhuber, Bronze, Vancouver 2010, Gold, Sotschi 2014, Gold, Pyeongchang 2018, Loan Anna Schaffelhuber.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
View of the second floor of the rotunda with various sports equipment for the sports disciplines of the Summer Games
Exhibition view, Design für Olympia, second floor, 2022.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
View of the second floor of the rotunda with various sports equipment for the sports disciplines of the Summer Games
Exhibition view, Design für Olympia, second floor, 2022.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
In the foreground BMW racing wheelchair, behind it sports posters from Team Otl Aicher. In the background, Specialized mountain bike in front of a black wall of shelves with mascots, timing devices and sports equipment from different eras
Exhibition view, Design für Olympia, ground floor, 2022.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)
View of blue large wall with art and sports posters from various Olympic Games
Exhibition view, Design für Olympia, ground floor, 2022.
Photo: Die Neue Sammlung (K. Mewes)

Short videos on Designing for the Olympics

Introduction on “Designing for the Olympics” by the curators Caroline Fuchs and Xenia Riemann-Tyroller, 2022.
Katalog film, München © Die Neue Sammlung
About the concept on “Designing for the Olympics” by exhibition architect Carina Deuschl, 2022.
Katalog film, München © Die Neue Sammlung
Elena Schwaiger about designing the mascot Waldi, 2022.
Katalog film, München © Die Neue Sammlung
Anna Schaffelhuber on the Paralympic Games and her monoski, 2022.
Katalog film, München © Die Neue Sammlung

Exhibition catalogue

Design für Olympia / Designing for the Olympics

With contributions by Scarlett Cornelissen, Tom Dauer, Caroline Fuchs, Sven Güldenpfennig, Angelika Nollert, Markus Osterwalder, Gertrud Pfister, Linus Rapp, Xenia Riemann-Tyroller, Kathrin Steinbichler, Daniela Stöppel

With over 350 coloured illustrations

Cover of the exhibition catalog Design für Olympia / Designing for the Olympics
Cover of the exhibition catalogue, Design für Olympia / Designing for the Olympics, Die Neue Sammlung, 2022.
Graphic design: Kurz Gestaltung, Berlin © Die Neue Sammlung
  • Curated by:

    Caroline Fuchs, Xenia Riemann-Tyroller, Linus Rapp

  • Supported by:

    PIN. Freunde der Pinakothek der Moderne e.V.