Alternate Forms Of Usain Bolt

(Courtesy of Simon Kimber)

LONDON — Usain Bolt is everywhere at these Olympics. Not physically everywhere, but visually everywhere. I’ve seen his image projected on the river-side of Westminster Palace, which was amazing, but mostly I’ve seen him on hundreds of Visa billboards and banners, which while not inspiring are a reality of the corporatized Olympics. Bolt is the perfect branding icon because he transcends nationality and is beloved on both sides on the pond. He put on a show in the 100 meters, and on the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence from Great Britain, no one here seems to care that his face is in more public spaces than anyone from Team GB.

It was refreshing, though, to find a permanent, outdoor image of Bolt in London that hadn’t been fronted by a sponsor. In the week before the Olympics, street artist Jimmy C (full name: James Cochran) undertook a five-day, 50-hour project on a wall above a parking lot in the Shoreditch neighborhood of East London. He sent SI.com photos of it in progress:

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(Courtesy of James Cochran)

(Courtesy of James Cochran)

Jimmy C’s depicted Bolt in “scribble style” to reflect, he said, Bolt’s “inherent energy and the vibrancy of his personality, as well as visually communicate a sense of speed.” The artist chose Bolt for the buzz factor — a mural of Bradley Wiggins just wouldn’t have garnered the same attention — but also because London has a large Jamaican community. At right, a member of that community strikes a pose:

(Courtesy of James Cochran)

I’m still waiting for Bolt to Instagram a shot of himself under the mural. Only one photo has surfaced of him interacting with public signage, and it features him faux-peeing on a Ted ad:

(Usain Bolt/Instagram)

It’s possible that the greatest Bolt-inspired creations in London aren’t street art, advertising material or Instagrams. A recent issue of Radio Times (a local TV guide) published a how-to piece by Knitlympics author Carol Meldrum on Knitting Your Own Usain Bolt. That means there are a bunch of these goofy yarn-Usains scattered around London. Justin Gatlin might have liked to use one as a voodoo doll.

(Radio Times/Knitlympics)