Beyond the Games – Montreal’s Olympic Story
McCord Stewart Museum
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Chapters

Posters

COJO’s graphics and design department wanted to create a high-profile image for the Montreal Games. Following the example of previous Olympic organizing committees, the team created two remarkable series of posters.

The first series focusses on unifying messages that the organizers wanted to convey. These eight themed posters illustrate key elements in the official brand image of the Montreal Olympics.

Image details — A poster with the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976" across the top features the head of a classic Greek sculpture in front of Montreal's coat of arms. Gold thread outlines the edges of the fleur de lys, the rose, the thistle and the shamrock. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a red background is the white Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." Below is a large reproduction of the Montreal Games logo in white, distorted as if it is a flag waving in the breeze. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a white background is the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." Below is the black silhouette of a beaver with his tail hanging down. He is the Games mascot, Amik, wearing a diagonal rainbow band. Image details — Across the top of a poster is the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." A photograph depicts twelve colourful buttons pinned to the pocket of a jean jacket. A harmonica peeks out of the pocket and a fresh daisy sits in the buttonhole of the flap. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a sky blue background and wispy, scattered clouds is the red Montreal Games logo and "Kingston 1976." Six racing yachts, each identified with a different symbol on the sail, drift across a wave-shaped rainbow. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a white background is the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." Below are the five interlaced Olympic rings—blue, black, red, yellow and green—which have been given an echo effect that creates a sense of movement. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a grey background is the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." A vertical rainbow band runs up the centre behind three technical drawings of the Olympic Stadium: one with the tower in front, another with the tower on the left, and finally an aerial view. Image details — Across the top of a poster with a white background is the red Montreal Games logo and "Montréal 1976." Below is a woman dressed in an Ancient Greek-style white tunic, holding a bowl with a burning flame. The blurred silhouette of an athlete in red shorts runs past her holding the Olympic torch.
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One in particular, by Raymond Bellemare, stands out for its celebration of the youth of 1976. By photographing a variety of pins on a jean jacket, the artist subtly evokes topics of interest to young people in the 1970s. More of a cultural statement than a political one, this poster symbolizes the free-spirited energy of a generation.

The red poster, on the other hand, depicts the Montreal Olympic logo rippling like a flag in the wind, as if to rally all the people of the world.

Watch video — Raymond Bellemare looks back on his poster Raymond Bellemare stands in front of tall bookshelves with his arms crossed. Dressed in a dark sweater, he is wearing glasses.
Raymond Bellemare looks back on his poster. Video available with transcription and subtitles.
Watch video — Yvon Laroche looks back on his poster Yvon Laroche stands in front of bookshelves with his arms crossed. Dressed in a dark sweater, he is wearing glasses.
Yvon Laroche looks back on his poster. Video available with transcription and subtitles.

The second series of posters features the 21 different disciplines contested at the Games. The aim was to spark enthusiasm about each event.

In 1975, Raymond Bellemare and Yvon Laroche went to Munich to select 21 photographs from among the 200,000 images preserved in the Olympic Sports Library. The task was like sorting through the photos on your phone, without the help of artificial intelligence!

Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Athletics. It depicts five female runners jumping over a hurdle at the same time, arms and legs fully extended. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Basketball. The slightly blurred image evokes movement as a player jumps and prepares to toss the ball into the basket. In the background, the arm of another player reaches towards the basket. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Archery. The close-up of the face of a female archer shows her concentrating as she pulls the taut string of the bow against her lips. Wearing a ring on her right ring finger, she prepares to release the arrow. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Boxing. The close-up shows a boxer in a ring blocking a punch from his opponent. Both are wearing red and white gloves. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Canoeing. It depicts two athletes on one knee in their wooden craft in calm water. Heads down and arms outstretched, they lunge forward as they pull their respective paddles vertically through the water. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Cycling. The blurred image evokes movement as a helmeted cyclist in a red and white jersey and black shorts pedals his green bike. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Equestrian Sports. The close-up shows a horseman wearing a black riding helmet and a red jacket leaning forward in the saddle, on a horse tagged with the number 22. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Fencing. Two athletes dressed in white fencing uniforms and masks are facing off. The one seen from behind bends his knees, with his foil in his left hand. His opponent is right-handed. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Gymnastics. It depicts a female gymnast in a red leotard, upside down with her body arched and full extended, just touching a vaulting horse with the fingers of her right hand. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Football. It depicts two opposing soccer players, trying to gain possession of the ball on a grass field. The player wearing yellow and blue slides in front of the other, who is dressed all in white. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Handball. The close-up shows a player, wearing a yellow jersey with the number 10, jumping as he holds a white ball over his head. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Weightlifting. It shows a sweating athlete with a moustache, his cheeks puffed out. His arm muscles tensed, he holds the barbell at shoulder level. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Volleyball. It depicts two female players, arms raised, jumping towards the ball from opposing sides of the net. In the background a teammate of one of the players watches the action, ready to react. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Swimming. The close-up shows the wet head and right arm of two athletes as they swim the freestyle stroke in their respective lanes. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Shooting. It depicts the dark silhouette of a shooter, lit from behind, aiming a sports firearm. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Rowing. It depicts a number of athletes in different sculls rowing in calm water. In the foreground, two opponents tense their faces with effort. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Modern Pentathlon. The poster illustrates five disciplines: a large-format picture of equestrian, plus four smaller ones of fencing, shooting, swimming and cross-country. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Judo. The close-up shows two male athletes during a match, pulling on each other's white jacket. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Hockey. It shows three male athletes playing field hockey. Two dressed in red uniforms rush towards their opponent in a green jersey who is controlling the ball on the field. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Wrestling. It depicts two wrestlers facing off with arms interlocked, heads down. Image details — The top of a photographic poster reads: Games of the twenty-first Olympiad, Montréal, 1976, Yachting. It depicts athletes in three sailboats skimming over slightly choppy water, sails billowing in the wind.
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Pictograms

Pictograms formed the basis of the signage system used at the Games. They helped guide the public to all the Olympic sites, which was a monumental undertaking! The graphics and design team created 26 sports pictograms and 173 information and services pictograms.

The Montreal designers were inspired by those used at the 1972 Munich Games, which had become iconic examples of Olympic design. After Montreal, each host city continued to use and adapt these pictograms, adding its own touch. It was not until Paris 2024 that the Olympic pictograms got a complete makeover!

Have you ever seen these pictograms in a gym? Do you recognize the sports depicted in these pictograms?

Image details — Three white pictograms against a black background represent the silhouettes of athletes engaged in various sports. From left to right: judo, weightlifting and basketball.