A single emblem. A single mascot. A single slogan. Paris 2024 captures the essence of unity and inclusiveness through its distinct visual identity. For the first time in the history of the Summer Games, the Olympic and Paralympic posters are unified into a single design, narrating the story of the city and its games. These posters reflect the comprehensive vision of the eagerly awaited games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11 this year.

The tradition of creating memorable posters with a view for iconicity for sporting events dates back to 1912 when the first poster was presented at the Stockholm Games as part of an art competition. Initially serving as essential promotional tools, these provided practical information in the pre-radio and television eras. Over time, their design has perceivably evolved to become cleaner and more visually charged, symbolising the spirit and values of each edition. Today, renowned artists and designers are commissioned to create these emblematic works, capturing the spirit of the Games.

The posters for this year’s festival are created by French artist and illustrator Ugo Gattoni, who is known for his elaborate and complex artworks. Born in Paris in 1988, this illustrator embarked on his artistic path with a degree in visual communications. His first project, Ultra Copains, produced in 2011, was a 10m x 1.20m fresco that took eight months to complete, depicting his daily life through a fantastical universe. With a deep-rooted passion for visual narratives, he has garnered an international reputation, leading to collaborations with some of France's leading luxury brands.

Before putting pen to paper, Gattoni immersed himself in the essence and aspirations of the Olympic Games. His process took over 2,000 hours and six months, resulting in works that pulsate with the vitality of Parisian life and sporting culture. Highlighting landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Stade de France, the artist’s challenge was to encapsulate the diverse tapestry of Paris Olympics 2024 within a single, visually captivating portrayal.

The posters are conceived as rich and teeming compositions of micro-elements and small scenes, inviting the spectator to stroll and immerse themselves in a vibrant microcosm. Each glance reveals new fragments and narratives, creating an interplay of perspectives. The posters depict a utopian, fantasy version of Paris, a city open to the world where familiar places, monuments and symbols are reinterpreted. Sport permeates every corner, blending seamlessly with the city's architecture and culture.

The artworks bridge the gap between vintage charm and contemporary design, merging the city’s heritage with the recurringly modern spirit of the Olympic Games. The overall tone is cheerful, festive and luxurious. Using bold geometric patterns, rich colours and sleek, elegant lines, all reflective of the art deco style, they create a visual experience that celebrates both eras. These designs capture the heart of the Olympics by intertwining a spectrum of symbols and values. The ones included are the Olympic rings and the Three Agitos alongside lively mascots and moments such as the Olympic flame’s maritime journey on the Belem and the mass event running. The illustrations also pay homage to French culture with symbols such as Marianne and the Arc de Triomphe, while highlighting the inclusion of four new sports this year such as breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing.

Gattoni’s graphic design is marked by notions of performance, perseverance and long-term effort, mirroring the spirit of athletes. He creates larger-than-life works that blur the boundaries between the figure of the athlete and that of the illustrator. Embracing fantasy and surrealism, he constructs worlds that allow viewers to tell stories, dream and escape. Overflowing with detail, these creations present a multitude of interlocking worlds and graphic mazes.

From the beginning, the artist envisioned the iconic posters as a "Paris Stadium," a large arena filled with messages and elements highlighting the competition. "I had a desire for an overhead view from the very start, even before meeting with Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024 and his team," Gattoni explains. This perspective allowed him to incorporate various aspects of the Games into an animated playground. After understanding their philosophy, he proposed a composition featuring monuments and elements like the Olympic balcony in the foreground, various sports scenes and green corridors. This sketch evolved through a collaborative process, with the designer improvising and adding details during the drawing phase.

The final piece features approximately 40,000 characters, showcasing Gattoni's ultra-precise technique. Utilising pencil or ink, he achieves fine, meticulous and detailed works. His influences are varied, spanning ancient and classic architecture and Greek mythology. “After locking in the overall composition, I start constructing the drawing. At this stage, I allow myself to improvise, adding this scene, that stadium design, etc. There is a lot of freedom of imagination when I draw. If I were to redraw this fresco today, there would be many different things because this belongs to that instant T, the moment I created it and that is what makes it the work it is today. For me, this design is timeless. It is based on the golden ratio and has a strong academic foundation with a lot of architecture,” he explains to STIR.

Gattoni's posters embody the urban character of Paris through large surreal cityscapes that play with scales. "Paris is my city. I love wandering around and documenting through photographs every Haussmannian cornice, balcony, façade motif, to then interpret them in my studio and create new illustrations tinted with history," he adds. His goal was to place athletes on the same level as spectators, creating a human and convivial dimension in his design.

The posters have been released and are now available in two sizes. Printed in France by Oneart and Editor, they can be bought at the Paris 2024 online store, physical stores and the Musée d’Orsay gift shop, with upcoming availability in FNACs and supermarkets. Other merchandise, such as puzzles and colouring books based on the posters are also in the pipeline. These will be distributed to schools during Olympic and Paralympic Week for educational purposes and can also be experienced in augmented reality.

When STIR asked the French artist how the posters align with his artistic style and language, he shared, "At the beginning, when I was offered to create this poster, I was a bit scared, thinking that I would probably have to tone down my rather fantastical style because these posters are intended to be seen by the entire world, with a somewhat political aspect, whether we like it or not.” However, he found that he could stay true to his artistic vision, creating a drawing that was personal and aligned with his style. His work often confronts reality and imagination, filled with intertwined microcosms, effervescent details and joy. The collaboration with Paris 2024 was fluid, allowing Gattoni to produce his most detailed work in terms of perspective, architecture, colour and technique.

Paris 2024: Explore STIR's extensive coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games through features, insider interviews, and thoughtful insights across architecture, design and art, to find out how the global sporting event engages the French capital across these creative avenues and beyond.