Hockey, 1972, by Otl Aicher

This official 1972 Munich Olympics poster for hockey captures four players mid-game, intensely focused as they angle their sticks toward the ball. The composition is flattened into bright planes of green, orange, and yellow, with minimal detail. The halftone printing technique adds texture and rhythm, echoing the motion of the match. Figures are cropped tightly and dynamically arranged across the top half, while the bottom remains mostly green field.

Field hockey had been part of the Olympics since 1908, but the 1972 Games were notable as the last held on natural grass. The men’s tournament in Munich was won by West Germany, their first Olympic gold in the sport, defeating Pakistan in the final—a significant shift in the sport’s power dynamic. The Games were marked by both innovation in sporting presentation and deep tragedy; the Munich massacre cast a long shadow over what had been intended as a peaceful, forward-looking event.

Otl Aicher (1922–1991) was the visionary behind the entire visual system of the Munich Games. A co-founder of the influential Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm, Aicher brought Bauhaus-inspired clarity to modern communication design. His Olympic campaign included over 180 sport-specific posters, pictograms, and signage, setting a benchmark for graphic design in public space. The use of high-contrast, stylised photography and fluorescent inks in this poster series created a vibrant, contemporary feel.