Javier Mariscal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Javier Mariscal
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Francisco Javier Errando Mariscal
9 February 1950 |
Javier Mariscal (born February 9, 1950) is a famous Spanish artist and designer. He works in many different areas, like painting, sculpture, and even designing buildings and gardens. He is most famous for creating Cobi, the official mascot for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Cobi was a cool, cartoon-like dog and became one of the most well-known Olympic mascots ever!
Javier Mariscal was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1950. He grew up in a big family with ten brothers and sisters. Since 1970, he has lived and worked in Barcelona.
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Javier Mariscal's Creative Journey
Javier Mariscal's art style is very simple but full of expression. He uses just a few lines to show a lot of feeling. He started his studies at a school in Valencia. Later, he went to the Elisava School of Design in Barcelona. However, he soon left to learn more directly from the world around him. He wanted to follow his own creative ideas.
Early Art and Design Work
Mariscal first started by drawing underground comics. Soon, he also began working on illustrations, sculptures, and graphic design. He even designed interiors for buildings.
In 1979, he designed the famous Bar-Cel-Ona logo. This work helped him become very popular. The next year, he designed his first bar in Valencia, called Duplex. For this bar, he created one of his most famous pieces: the Duplex stool. This stool became a true symbol of the 1980s. In 1981, his furniture designs were shown in an important exhibition in Milan, Italy. He also had an exhibition in Paris at the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1987.
Throughout the 1980s, Mariscal designed many clothing collections. He also showed his work in Barcelona.
Creating Famous Mascots
In 1989, his design for Cobi was chosen as the official mascot for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. At first, some people didn't like Cobi's modern style. But now, Cobi is known as the most successful mascot in the history of the modern Olympic Games! Mariscal also created Petra, the mascot for the 1992 Summer Paralympics. Later, he was the creative director for The Cobi Troupe, an animated TV show starring both mascots.
In 1989, Mariscal opened his own company, Estudio Mariscal. Since then, he has worked on many projects with other designers and architects. He has created visual designs for many different groups. These include a political party in Sweden, a Spanish radio station, the Barcelona Zoo, and the University of Valencia. He also designed for cultural centers in Glasgow, Scotland, and Japan.
In 1995, another one of his creations, Twipsy, was chosen as the mascot for the Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany. Twipsy was a virtual space messenger. The success of this mascot led to the Twipsy TV series, which was sold in over 100 countries.
Furniture and Public Art
Also in 1995, Mariscal designed the "Amorosos Furniture" collection for an Italian company. This collection included the Alexandra armchair, which became very popular. Its curvy shapes and bright colors show Mariscal's lively and outgoing style.
In 1995, Mariscal worked with schoolchildren in Valencia to create a large mural sculpture. This mural was part of a protest to support the use of the Valencian language in schools. The mural can still be seen today at the Teacher's Faculty of the University of Valencia.
In 2001, he designed a special chair for the "diary room" on the TV show Big Brother in the UK.
Hotel and Entertainment Designs
In 2002, Mariscal designed the entire Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao. This hotel is located near the famous Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Mariscal designed everything from the uniforms for the staff to the outside of the building. He even created the hotel's website. He also designed the inside of the Calle 54 Club in Madrid. This club is a live music venue for Latin jazz musicians.
Another example of his diverse work is the "Colors" show. This audiovisual show premiered in Barcelona in 1999. It featured a robot named Dimitri, another one of Mariscal's creations. Mariscal often gives talks about design around the world. These talks are like fun, short shows, full of humor and warmth.
In 2005, he designed several items for the "Me Too" children's collection by Magis. This was a successful partnership that continued for many years. Some of his more recent works include designs for a Spanish bank and the 32nd America's Cup sailing race. He also designed a new line of bags for Camper and the interior of an Ikea restaurant in Spain.
In 2006, he created a sculpture called "Crash!" for an art fair. This sculpture was a tribute to the hopeful designs of the 1950s. It also showed that we need to think about how to create a good future.
Animated Films
In 2009, a large exhibition of Mariscal's work was held at the London Design Museum. Visitors could walk through a tunnel showing 640 examples of his designs from 1970 to the present. He also created a mural for the outside of the museum.
Mariscal also drew and co-directed the 2010 animated film Chico and Rita with director Fernando Trueba. This movie celebrates the music and culture of Cuba. It tells a love story set in places like Havana, New York, and Paris in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
He and Fernando Trueba worked together again on another animated film in 2023, called They Shot the Piano Player.
Awards and Recognition
In 1999, Javier Mariscal received the National Design Prize from the Spanish government. This award recognized his many achievements throughout his career. In 2011, he won an award for Chico and Rita at the 7th Festival of European Animated Feature Films.
See also
In Spanish: Javier Mariscal para niños
