This polyester banner was made was made by one of two Australian companies, Dot Dash of Brisbane or Selby's Flags & Banners of Sydney, to decorate one of the competition venues for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Its white surface offsets the Games emblem and the headline, 'Paralympic Games Sydney 2000'. This is a unique Games banner because it features the autograph of Gemma Dashwood, an Australian Paralympic swimmer and medallist at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. (Dashwood won a gold medal for the 400-metre freestyle, a silver for the 200-metre individual medley and two bronze for 4 x 100-metre freestyle relays.) Thousands of polyester banners decorated venues and the city of Sydney during the Games, serving to unify public areas through a distinct visual theme.

The transition from the Olympic to Paralympic Games became visible in Sydney in late September 2000 when a new branding package redefined the look of the city and competition venues. Developed by Australian company, FHA Image Design, this kit set a new visual tone in Sydney yet retained the same presentation techniques and sense of celebration that characterised the Olympic Games. Flags, banners, fascias, decals and corrals were typical branding fixtures, demarking the fields of play, assisting navigation and coordinating competition venues.

From early 1999, FHA Image Design worked in concert with SPOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to devise a kit that would reuse selected fixtures and graphics from the Olympic Games (the 'Sydney 2000' graphic was a key branding element of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games). Through its moderation, this strategy would reduce waste and costs yet foster a strong and unique Paralympic identity. The Paralympic Look of the Games Program coordinated this strategy and made design drawings of each venue - these illustrated the full extent of branding applications and ensured that the Paralympic Games emblem and Sydney 2000 logo would be visible from all camera angles.

Signifying "power, performance and pursuit", the Sydney 2000 Paralympic kit of parts reflected the optimism and aspiration of athletes, and formed a distinct and unified image for the Games. At its centre, an emblem of three surging shapes symbolised the energy of Paralympic athletes and resembled the three-tiered Paralympic torch. Its colours: green, red, blue and black, came directly from the Sydney 2000 Paralympic colour palette - itself derived from the IPC logo. A secondary palette provided highlights and bridged the separate palettes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Other defining elements included angled headings; geometric and outlined typefaces; background textures alluding to water, grass, sand and sports equipment; and cropped and blurred photographs of Paralympians. Optimistic statements, such as "success is a choice", encapsulated the Paralympic spirit and embellished posters, pamphlets and documents.

This banner design combines elements of the Paralympic Games branding package, including a geometric typeface and Games emblem. (The package was developed in 1999 by Australian company, FHA Image Design.) It also features the autograph of Gemma Dashwood, Paralympic swimmer and medallist at the Sydney Games.

This polyester banner was made in 2000 by one of two Australian companies, either Dot Dash of Brisbane or Selby's Flags & Banners of Sydney. Its design has been screen-printed on a sheet of polyester fabric.

Though this banner was designed to decorate a Games venue it was instead used as a souvenir, bearing the autograph of Australian Paralympic swimmer, Gemma Dashwood.

Made for and owned by the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee and donated to the Powerhouse Museum after use at the Games.

Banner, venue decoration, Paralympic Games, Sydney, 2000, synthetic material, signed by Gemma Dashwood, designed by the Look of the Games Committee, made by Dot Dash of Brisbane or Selby's Flags & Banners of Sydney c. 2000

Paralympic Games banner signed by Gemma Dashwood. White, polyester, double stitched hem. Reinforced hem with two plastic hooks for hanging The banner has a white background with the 2000 Paralympic Games logo in red, green, blue and black. Black text 'Paralympic / Games / Sydney 2000' with green, re and blue international Paralympic Committee logo. Signature 'Gemma Dashwood' in black texta next to IPC logo.

Made: 2000

2001/84/253

2000

860 mm