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Royal Mail stamps - marking the opening of the London
Paralympics
RSA Fellows (and RDIs) responsible for all 29
of Team GBs gold medals
August 23, 2012 by Gurmeet Singh
Filed under: Fellowship
(as well as all of the silvers, bronzes, the Olympic torches, the Velodrome and
the cauldron).
We thought that might get your attention. The Olympics may have been and
gone, but as we gear up for the Paralympics it seems like an appropriate time to ask did
you know about the RSAs association with the worlds greatest sporting events, both at
London 2012 and throughout the history of the modern Olympiad?
For example, this years Olympic torch, the Olympic cauldron and all of the Olympic medals
were designed by RDIs, all of whom are also RSA Fellows. The title of Royal Designer for
Industry (RDI) was introduced by the RSA in 1936 to honour designers of excellence, and to
promote the important contribution of design in manufacturing and industry. It is now
conferred to designers who have shown significant benefit to society, sustained design
excellence, and work of aesthetic value.

The eye-catching Olympic torch
was designed by Edward Barber
RDI FRSA and Jay Osgerby RDI
FRSA. Thomas Heatherwick RDI
FRSA designed the centrepiece of
the Olympic stadium, the
magnificent Olympic cauldron, and
all of the Olympic medals were
designed by David Watkins RDI
FRSA. The engineering firm
Expedition, co-founded by Chris Wise RDI FRSA, was also responsible for building the
impressive Velodrome.
On 29
th
August 2012, Royal Mail is issuing a set of stamps to celebrate the start of the
Paralympic Games, the first time Paralympic stamps have been created by a host nation.
The designs are by Pearce Marchbank RDI.
The RSAs very own President, HRH The Princess Royal, is also President of the British
Olympic Association and has herself competed at the Games (equestrian eventing, Montreal
1976), with her daughter Zara Philips following in her footsteps (or rather, hoofprints) in the
same event this year.
Our connection to the modern Olympics goes back further than you might expect. The Great
Exhibition of 1851, initiated by the RSA, is generally viewed as the first international
exhibition and thus the beginnings of the international exposition. The 1900 Games were
held as part of the Paris Exposition, and the 1904 Games as part of the Saint Louis Worlds
Fair. That same year the newly-formed International Olympic Committee, the IOC, saw its
first outing at the RSA when Pierre de Coubertin, widely considered to be the father of the
modern Olympics, made a statement at the House.
The Olympics, of course, has its
roots in Greece. James Barrys
rousing painting Crowning the
Victors at Olympia can be found in
the newly-refurbished Great Room
in the RSA House. It captures the
moment, as described by Barry
himself, when the victors pass in
the procession before the
Hellanodicae or Judges, where
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Crowning the Victors at Olympia- Barry presages Team GB's
victory
6
they are crowned with olive, in the
presence of all the Grecians. This,
and other paintings by Barry, can
be viewed during this years Open House on 23rd September, when the House is open to
the public. While youre here, why not pop into the library and check out our Olympic titles
and the other books in the catalogue?
So, we may not all be world-class athletes akin to James Barrys image of the triumphant
victor but, in our own little way, the RSA has helped to contribute to the greatest show on
Earth, and well all be doing the Mobot until Brazil 2016!
Titles that we hold in the library that might be of interest:
The austerity Olympics: when the Games came to London in 1948 by Janie Hampton
Mega-events modernity: Olympics and expos in the growth of global culture by Maurice
Roche
Minds, bodies and souls: an archaeology of The Olympic Heritage Network by Don Anthony
Born out of Wenlock: William Penny Brookes and the British origins of the modern Olympics
by Catherine Beale
The 1948 Olympics: how London rescued the Games by Bob Phillips
The Olympian dream: the story of William Penny Brookes by Chris Cannon, Wenlock
Olympian Society
Disclaimer The RSAs role, as enshrined in the full name of the Society, is to encourage.
Nevertheless, we obviously know that the RSA did not directly drive Team GBs magnificent
haul of 29 gold medals, let alone the other Olympic medals, the cauldron, the Velodrome,
the torches or the Paralympic stamps. The fact that they were all designed or built by RDIs
and Fellows is of course coincidental, and we are in no way suggesting that the RSA is
responsible for their fantastic work. The RSA has no direct link to the London 2012 Olympics,
past watching it on TV. One of us went to the basketball, but that was on a day off and not
official RSA business.
Guest blog from the Library team..
Related posts:
1. Lesser Panda: Full Colour Comment on the Games
2. Is red the colour of responsible innovation?
3. Fellows in the field
Tags: 2012, Barry, Designers, Fellows, FRSA, Olympics, RSA, RSA History
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Legions march for climate
change, but generic calls
5 comments 18 days ago
jonathanrowson Gratuitous
negative comment by
somebody who chooses to
Good morning, England
1 comment a month ago
Bob McMahon The first thing
that needs to happen is for the
British government
Party Conference Season the
non-battle for education
2 comments 19 days ago
Rebecca Hanson p.s. I've just
sent you a link request on
LinkedIn so you can find
Cloudy with a Chance of
Mindfulness
3 comments 4 days ago
Carol Braddick Thanks for
clearing the fog, which is
getting rather heavywith a
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