Leo Obstbaum
Encyclopedia
Leo Obstbaum was an Argentine
-born Spanish
design director
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, Canada
, as part of the Vancouver Organizing Committee
(VANOC). Obstbaum was responsible for designing many of the main symbols of the Vancouver Olympic Games including the Olympic and Paralympic medals, the design of the 2010 Olympic torch, and the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots
.
Obstbaum was born in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, in 1969. He moved to Barcelona
, Spain
, with his family when he was a child.
Obstbaum opened his first visual communication
studio in 1990. He designed the wardrobe
for the celebration of the anniversary of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Obstbaum visited Vancouver, Canada, on his honeymoon and reportedly "fell in love" with the city. He moved to Vancouver from Spain in late 2005.
Obstbaum was hired by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) in June 2006 as the director of design
for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. He oversaw the design and creation of many of the most important symbols of the 2010 Olympics, including the 2010 Olympics mascots
, the Olympic torch and the medals which were awarded to the athletes.
Leo Obstbaum died unexpectedly on August 21, 2009, at the age of 39. He was survived by his wife and daughter.
The VANOC
released a statement noting Obstbaum's contributions to the Vancounver Olympics, "Obstbaum's design leadership and influence are evident throughout VANOC's visual identity, including such iconic elements as the mascots, the Look of the Games, the torch designs, and Olympic and Paralympic medals (yet to be unveiled)." Likewise, an internal message sent to members of the VANOC its chief executive officer
John Furlong read, "Leo is everywhere you look, in every colour, every texture, in every little bit of Vancouver 2010...Leo led and influenced the design of some of the most iconic pieces of the 2010 Winter Games. His spirit and daring inspiration has touched absolutely everything and because of him memories of the Games will live on for generations, a true enduring legacy of what went on here in Vancouver."
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
-born Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
design director
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as part of the Vancouver Organizing Committee
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games was the non-profit organization responsible for planning, organizing, financing and staging the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics...
(VANOC). Obstbaum was responsible for designing many of the main symbols of the Vancouver Olympic Games including the Olympic and Paralympic medals, the design of the 2010 Olympic torch, and the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots
2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots
The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Paralympics were Miga and Quatchi, and Sumi respectively, who had a "sidekick", Mukmuk. The four mascots were introduced on November 27, 2007. They were designed by the Canadian and American duo, Meomi Design...
.
Obstbaum was born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in 1969. He moved to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, with his family when he was a child.
Obstbaum opened his first visual communication
Visual communication
Visual communication as the name suggests is communication through visual aid and is described as the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon...
studio in 1990. He designed the wardrobe
Wardrobe
A Wardrobe is a cabinet used for storing clothes.Wardrobe may also refer to:* Wardrobe , a full set of multiple clothing items* Wardrobe , part of royal administration in medieval England...
for the celebration of the anniversary of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Obstbaum visited Vancouver, Canada, on his honeymoon and reportedly "fell in love" with the city. He moved to Vancouver from Spain in late 2005.
Obstbaum was hired by the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) in June 2006 as the director of design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. He oversaw the design and creation of many of the most important symbols of the 2010 Olympics, including the 2010 Olympics mascots
2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots
The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Paralympics were Miga and Quatchi, and Sumi respectively, who had a "sidekick", Mukmuk. The four mascots were introduced on November 27, 2007. They were designed by the Canadian and American duo, Meomi Design...
, the Olympic torch and the medals which were awarded to the athletes.
Leo Obstbaum died unexpectedly on August 21, 2009, at the age of 39. He was survived by his wife and daughter.
The VANOC
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games was the non-profit organization responsible for planning, organizing, financing and staging the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics...
released a statement noting Obstbaum's contributions to the Vancounver Olympics, "Obstbaum's design leadership and influence are evident throughout VANOC's visual identity, including such iconic elements as the mascots, the Look of the Games, the torch designs, and Olympic and Paralympic medals (yet to be unveiled)." Likewise, an internal message sent to members of the VANOC its chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
John Furlong read, "Leo is everywhere you look, in every colour, every texture, in every little bit of Vancouver 2010...Leo led and influenced the design of some of the most iconic pieces of the 2010 Winter Games. His spirit and daring inspiration has touched absolutely everything and because of him memories of the Games will live on for generations, a true enduring legacy of what went on here in Vancouver."