Architectural Team of Pedro Ramirez Vasquez Graphic and Industrial Design at the XIXth Olympic Games
In 1966, the architect Pedro Ramirez Vasquez, President of the Organizing Committee of the XIXth Olympic Games gathered together a team of designers in order to set a seal of quality on the sporting event, both from the point of view of publicity and decor. Under his personal direction various young and talented artists were invited to Mexico and given the mission of creating a coherent character, as well as a spectacular visual aspect, for the Omlypic Games.
Ramirez appointed as artistic director the sculptor Mathias Goeritz. The co-ordination of the different activities related to design and its application to town decor was entrusted to the architect Eduardo Terrazas, while the architect Manuel Villazon was nominated as Head of the Department of Diseno de Productos (Product Design). It is, however, graphic design which, in this instance, held the privileged position. From the beginning the designs of the young New York artist Lance Wyman stood out among the rest.
He is head of the department of Graphic Design which produced a vast series of studies and which finally carried out the logotype of Mexico 68 and created the principal poster that served as the point of departure and inspiration for the most diversified areas included under urban decoration. The Mexican Pavilion at the Milan Triennale was an example of the union of graphic and spatial concepts.
The evolution of these designs tends to set up a visual picture specific to the Mexican Olympic Games. Wyman also conceived and elaborated postage stamps, which are without any doubt the best that have so far been produced in Latin America.
In all these works there is evidence of the experiences and tendencies of presentday art (Op, Pop) which here meet an application worthy of the highest praise.
The graphic design side is marked by a special interest in the creation of a new system of information boxes, city signing, etc. Lastly the companion and associate of Wyman, the Englishman Peter Murdoch, was invited to form part of the team. Murdoch proposed different elements, creating an industrial design of an international type, while his wife, Julia Murdoch, joined the others in the design of souvenirs and uniforms.
How many more should be mentioned,
158
among the members of this happy group selected and directed by the architect Ramirez Vasquez and who, in a different form, have collaborated in the task of turning the sporting event into a flowering fête, into a scintillating success of contemporary design.
Ida Rodriguez Prampolini
A graphic system for the decoration of Olympic stadiums.
Système graphiaue pour la décoration des stades olympiques.
Graphisches System angewandt für die Dekoration des Olympischen Stadions.
GDdlOOO
no00d
Overall design for the 20 cultural events of the Olympic Games. The different signs were suggested by the members of ‘Design-Team Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez/ and were interpreted graphically by Lance Wyman.
Système de dessin général pour les vingt événements culturels des Jeux olympiques. Les différents signes ont été suggérés par les membres du groupe Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez, et traduits graphiquement par Lance Wyman.
Allgemeines Zeichensystem für die 20 kulturellen Ereignisse der Olympischen Spiele. Die verschiedenen Zeichen beruhen auf Anregungen verschiedener Mitglieder des «Design-Teams Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez» und wurden von Lance Wyman ins Graphische übersetzt.
Cardboard columns with photographs andposters for the cultural and sporting events ( Group collaboration Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez Team; column design: Peter Murdoch).
Design: Peter Murdoch Kiosk for information Kiosque d’information Informationskiosk
Colonnes en carton avec photographies et affiches pour les événements culturels et sportifs.
( Collaboration du groupe Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez; colonnes de Peter Murdoch.) Zusammenlegbare Säulen aus Pappkarton mit Photos und Propagandaplakaten für die kulturellen und sportlichen Ereignisse (Zusammenarbeit der Pedro Ramirez Vàsquez-DesignGrlippe; Design der Pappkartontürme: Peter Murdoch).
Design: Lance Wyman Series of stamps Séries de timbres Briefmarkenserien
159
Graphic system for the musical events Système graphique musicales Graphisches Ereignisse
System
pour
les
manifestations
für
die
musikalischen
- soloist - piano duet - quartet - chorus
Seal from the post-classic period of Mexican culture Sceau de la période postclassique de la civilisation mexicaine Siegel aus der spätklassischen Periode der mexikanischen Kultur
160