Every four years, the Summer Olympics come and go so quickly that it feels something of a “blink (for two weeks while avoiding every single news outlet / human being) and you’ll miss it” deal. The closing ceremonies have charmed with their eccentric Britishness, and London’s spectators are now heading home, leaving us with little more than memories of our favorite Olympic victories.

But wait! For us poor blink-beholden humans, Reuters has amazingly captured every millisecond of several moments we may have missed. They’ve used eleven robotic cameras to shoot London’s athletes mid-twist/leap/lunge, producing these crisp multiple exposure photos. The shots, like their subjects, are fascinating. Something beautiful and 16-legged to look back on, fondly. 

- Maggie

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Female 100m Sprinter Female Hammer Thrower Male Figure Skater Female Artistic Gymnast

Since Clubhaus posting is already on board with the 2012 Olympics today, let’s ride this train all the way to the station! Here’s even more Olympics-related creativity: artists Sarah Parker and Michael Bodiam produced these fantastic Olympic meal arrangements over at NOWNESS. Based off of the diets designed by Olympic nutritionist Dan Bernadot, Parker and Bodiam’s food photography recreates the extreme caloric demands of an Olympic athlete with laser-cut fiberboard and paper. Yum.

Actually, this type of fingertip-sized food reminds me of the landscapes of Christopher Boffoli’s tiny people/big food worlds. Finally, produce that’s a bit more their size:

- Maggie

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How much do you know about the Olympic history of pictograms? Back in 2010, designer Steven Heller put together a short video for the New York Times outlining the games’ use of pictograms, a history that began with the German-hosted 1936 Olympics and continues to this day. Meanwhile, the Smithsonian blog recently put together its own rundown on Olympic design history.

What’s your favorite year in Olympic pictogram design? Heller argues most for Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, and I’m inclined to agree with him - I’m a big fan of the Athens take on the traditional design. 

- Maggie

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The Buffalo Infringement Festival is sort of like the art kids’ Olympics, which is relevant  when you consider that the art kids have dibs on tonight’s apparently Mary Poppins-fights-Voldemort-mind-blowing opening ceremonies. But once that’s done with, you can witness and be a part of a different kind of insanity. Just go outside. Or look up. Or find a band on the sidewalk and settle in for a show. Or go to a park and find fire dancers. Or read Colin Dabkowski’s Buffalo News daily diary of must-see events. Either way, you have no excuse to not do this.

-Ben

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