Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers on Friday "unveiled a shortlist of four replacement logos after the original design was scrapped last September amid accusations of plagiarism," according to Andrew McKirdy of the JAPAN TIMES. The Tokyo 2020 Logo Selection Committee "chose the four candidates from almost 15,000 entries in a competition open to any resident of Japan over the age of 18."
Logo Selection Committee Chair Ryohei Miyata said, "This time, we wanted as many people as possible to participate, and we received entries from people of all different ages, nationalities and occupations." Members of the public "will now have until April 17 to voice their opinion online or by postcard." The committee "will take these into account before it votes on which design to present to the Tokyo 2020 board on April 25." The winner "will be decided the same day."
The four designs range from an indigo-and-white checkered circle to "a morning glory flower as it faces the heavens to greet the new morning." The competition "was launched last October after the original logo by designer Kenjiro Sano unveiled last July was axed." Claims of plagiarism by the designer of a Belgian theater logo "led to a slew of further allegations against Sano’s work." The designer of the successful logo will be awarded 1M yen ($9,250) "and a ticket to the opening ceremonies of both the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics."
Meanwhile, opening the selection process to the public drew criticism from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, which argued that it "disrespected" the design profession.
The original competition "was open only to designers who had won at least two of seven designated awards" (JAPAN TIMES, 4/8).
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| Source: Tokyo 2020 |
