Interesting Medals 獎牌趣事

凌嵐

The Winter Olympic Games using the emblematic1 Olympic medals is a fascinating artistic and cultural experience. Their design must take into account certain visual elements defined by the IOC and the OCOG2， with the IOC having the final approval. They must show the Olympic emblem， the full name of the Games in question， the name of the sport or discipline concerned and the OCOG’s emblem. Additionally， the Winter Games medals should reflect the visual look， plus cultural and aesthetic elements selected by the OCOG.

Now let’s look at some representative and interesting Olympic medals：

The obverse depicts the emblem of the Olympic Winter Games Innsbruck 1976 comprising the Olympic rings and the coat of arms3 of the city showing the bridge on the Inn which gives the city of Innsbruck its name4. For centuries， this bridge has been the link between the old town and the H?tting district. It symbolizes friendship and the people of the world coming together. The inscription “XII OLYMPISCHE WINTERSPIELE INNSBRUCK 1976” surrounds the scene.

The reverse shows the Bergisel skiing area with the Alps in the background and the Olympic flame in the foreground on the right hand side.

?Salt Lake City 2002

On the obverse， an athlete bursts from flames carrying a torch， representing the resilience of the human spirit and the power to inspire. The figure has triumphed over adversity and is thus released from a mountain of ice and rock. The Olympic Rings anchor5 the image of the athlete， while the theme of the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002 “Light the Fire Within” is etched into the medal， marking the first time that an organizing committee’s vision statement is included on a medal.

On the reverse， Nike， the Greek goddess of victory， holds a small victory leaf6， symbolizing the olive wreaths that were presented to winners of the ancient Olympic Games. Within Nike’s embrace is an illustration of the event for which each medal is being presented. The emblem of the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002 and the name of the event figure are illustrated on the reverse of each medal. At the base of the ribbon loop is the Roman numeral XIX， signifying the XIX Olympic Winter Games.

The medals are designed in the shape of river rocks， like those found in Utah’s streams and rivers. Part modern and part rustic， they embody the spirit of the American West from the forging of the West to the technological present. Each medal is hand-finished and is slightly different from the other medals similar to individual rocks sculpted by water and wind.

On the obverse， it presents the graphic elements of the Games.

On the reverse， the pictogram of the sports discipline in which the medal was won.

The medal is round like the Olympic rings or a symbolic victory ring and， with its open space at its centre， it reveals the place where the heart beats， the symbol of life itself. To highlight the three-dimensional characteristics of the medal， its surface has been carefully made using full and empty spaces， with shiny and satiny textures. The medal is only complete， however， when it is hanging geometrically from the athlete’s neck， lying on his/her chest， circling and revealing the area near his/her heart and focusing attention on the athlete’s vital energy and human emotions.

On the obverse， the Olympic rings.

On the reverse， the name of the event in English and the emblem of the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.The Sochi 2014 mosaic “patchwork quilt” of national designs from the various culture and ethnicities of the Russian Federation is featured on the metal and polycarbonate parts of both sides of the medal.

On the rim， the inscription “XXII OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES” （also in French and Russian）. The medals represent the landscape of Sochi with the snowy mountain tops reflecting the sun’s ray onto the sandy beaches of the Black Sea coast.

奧運獎牌是冬奧會的符號，獎牌的使用是冬奧會一場迷人的藝術和文化體驗。獎牌設計必須考慮到國際奧委會和奧組委定義的某些視覺元素，并由國際奧委會最終批準設計方案。獎牌必須展示奧運會會徽、該屆奧運會的全稱、相關運動項目或小項目的名稱和奧組委的會徽。此外，冬奧會獎牌應反映出奧組委選擇的視覺外觀、文化和美學元素。

現在我們來欣賞一些有代表性的、有趣的奧運獎牌：

正面是1976年因斯布魯克冬季奧運會的標志，包括奧林匹克五環標志和因斯布魯克市的盾形市徽，市徽圖案是因河上的橋，這也正是城市名字的由來。幾個世紀以來，這座橋一直是老城區和霍廷區之間的紐帶。它象征著友誼和世界人民團結在一起。外圈圍繞著“第12屆冬季奧運會，因斯布魯克，1976年”字樣的銘文。

反面以阿爾卑斯山脈為背景，描繪了伯吉瑟爾滑雪區，并在右手邊前景展示了奧運圣火。

獎牌正面圖案中，一名高舉火炬的運動員沖出烈焰重圍，代表了人類精神的不屈和激勵的力量。這名運動員戰勝了困境，得以從重重冰巖的包圍中脫身。運動員穩穩地站在腳下的奧運五環上，2002年鹽湖城冬奧會的主題“點燃心中之火”也刻在了獎牌上，標志著史上第一次將組委會的愿景宣言包括在獎牌圖案中。

獎牌背面，希臘神話中的勝利女神奈基手持一片月桂樹葉，象征著頒發給古代奧運會勝利者的橄欖花環。奈基女神臂彎形成的環區中刻畫著代表該運動項目的圖案。2002年鹽湖城冬奧會的會徽和項目的名稱也出現在每塊獎牌的背面。在絲帶掛環的底部刻有羅馬數字19，表示是第19屆冬季奧運會。

獎牌設計成河里鵝卵石的形狀，就像在猶他州小溪和河流中的石子?，F代中帶著原始，它們象征著從西部締造之日開始到科技發達的今日，一直延續的美國西部精神。每塊獎牌都由手工制作完成，與其他獎牌都略有不同，就像一塊塊水蝕風刻的石片。

獎牌正面是奧運會的圖形元素。

獎牌反面是獲獎項目的象形圖案。

獎牌是圓形的，像奧林匹克五環或象征勝利的花環，中間的空洞正好露出佩戴者心臟跳動的位置，象征著生命本身。為了凸顯獎牌的三維特征，獎牌表面精心利用了充實與空缺的空間，具有光澤和綢緞的質感。然而，只有當獎牌垂直掛在運動員的脖子上，貼在其胸前，圈出并突顯出心臟附近的區域，才會讓人注意到運動員的生命力與情感，獎牌才算完整。

獎牌正面是奧運五環。

獎牌背面刻有運動項目的英文名稱和2014年索契冬奧會的會徽。代表俄羅斯聯邦多元文化和不同種族的民族風設計——馬賽克式“拼布被面”圖案——出現在2014年索契冬奧會獎牌正反兩面的金屬和聚碳酸酯部分。

獎牌邊緣用英語、法語和俄語銘刻著“第22屆冬季奧運會”的字樣。獎牌重現了索契的風景：積雪的山頂將陽光反射到黑海沿岸的沙灘上。

（英文選自國際奧委會網站www.olympic.org）