Attractive limited edition color 36 x 24 poster featuring designer Robert Miles Runyan’s iconic official ‘Stars in Motion’ logo for the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics, numbered 120/1000, and signed in the lower left in red ballpoint, “Robert M. Runyan.” Text to bottom reads: “Official Symbol, XXIIrd Olympiad, Los Angeles, USA.” Rolled and in fine condition, with a handful of small scattered creases, and trivial toning to edges.
Robert Miles Runyan and Associates were chosen from an initial field of 34 American design companies chosen to create the official emblem for the XXIIIrd Olympiad. Before their first proposal was on the table, the group produced around 4,000 designs and then refined the basic theme of the three stars in a further 400 or so sketches before the emblem took its final form as ‘Stars in Motion.’
The tripling of the star as ‘Stars in Motion’ is meant to symbolize the spirit of the competition. The 13 horizontal lines of movement are based on the American flag’s 13 stripes racing to the right, intending to convey an element of action and speed. The colors—blue, white, and red—were chosen for their patriotism and traditional significance in the awarding of prizes for first, second, and third place. On August 4, 1980, the LAOOC presented this emblem to the public, allowing sponsors to use it for their promotional purposes.
