It has been announced that, to accompany the 2012 London Olympics, British art stars such as Tracy Emin, Howard Hodgkin, Bridget Riley and Chris Ofili, will design posters celebrating the event.
Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate, was amongst the panelists who selected 12 artists in total to create the posters for the Olympics. The announcement was made yesterday to coincide with the one-year countdown to the London 2012 Festival, which will form part of the Cultural Olympic celebrations.
Other artists asked to partake were; Fiona Banner, Bob and Roberta Smith, Rachel Whitread, Michael Craig-Martin, Martin Creed, Gary Hume, Sarah Morris and Anthea Hamilton.
The artists have been asked to create posters that are both identifiable with their own style of art-making, while also celebrating what a landmark event the London 2012 Olympics will be for the UK, and London as the host city.
Of the 12 artists who have been chosen, Hodgkin is the only one to have had any experience of this before, having been commissioned by Andy Warhol to create a poster for the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics.
We look forward to seeing what the artists come up with when the posters make their appearance all over London next year. If you're visiting London, make sure you keep your eyes peeled!
Image: Artist Tracey Emin and Olympics chief Lord Coe at Tate Britain with Olympic posters from the 20th century. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA