Japanese by design

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Japanese by design

By Pattarawadee Saengmanee 
The Nation Weekend 

 

The travelling exhibition "Japanese Design Today 100" showcases 100 iconic designed products from 1950s to 2010s that have significant influences on the designs of today.

 

A new travelling exhibition shows how the functional designs of yesteryear remain relevant in this technological age

 

EVER WONDERED how the appliances that our grandparents used worked, how they looked and how they apply to life as we know it today? Bangkokians now have the chance to find out as the touring exhibition “Japanese Design Today 100” has landed in Bangkok and turned the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC)’s gallery into a time capsule, boasting 100 examples of recognisable daily products from the 1950s to the 2010s. 

 

Until May 26, visitors can discover the innovative rice cooker, classic motorcycle, Zen-style wood furniture, smart camera as well as the popular cassette player and wristwatches we used while at school. 

 

Manufacturer Sakura Seisakusho  adopted the ancient design of a dining table in making their functional Feb desk, which made its debut in 2007.

 

A collaboration between Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and the Japan Foundation, Bangkok, the show uses product design as a way of exchanging culture. Initiated in 2000, the exhibition has travelled to many countries including Canada, the US, El Salvador, China, Mongolia, Singapore, Finland and the Philippines.

 

Curated by four Japanese design experts – Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Masafumi Fukagawa, Shu Hagiwara and Noriko Kawakami – its collection was updated in 2014 to assemble 89 current masterpieces, along with 11 forms that have an important influence on the designs of today.

 

“Japan has a wealth of creative ideas, advanced technology and beautiful culture. The Japanese designers have managed to combine their traditions and innovation in creating unique products that can meet the needs of people on a daily basis,” says Apisit Laistrooglai, managing director of the Creative Economy Agency. 

 

“This exhibition is showcasing the evolution of Japanese designs and the way functional products can serve everyday life. We want to spark ideas among Thai designers and the general public e in adapting and mixing local materials with traditional wisdom and new technology to create products that fit our lifestyle.” 

 

Spread over 2,000 square metres, the works are divided into 10 categories based on their function, namely appliances, tableware and kitchenware, clothing and accessories, children’s supplies, stationary, recreational equipment, healthcare products and transportation vehicles, plus rescue and disaster relief products.

 

The Classic Japanese Design corner highlights the RC-10 electronic rice-cooker by Toshiba that dates back to the very beginnings of the electronic appliance industry in Japan. Designed by Yoshiharu Iwata, it launched in 1955 to shorten cooking time for rice with a single button. Today’s modern, high-performance rice cooker still cook the grains at the push of a button but can also be used for making simple pastries and side dishes like soft boiled eggs, tofu, bread or cakes. 

 

The Kikkoman soy sauce bottle with its simple but functional design has been popular for almost 60 years. 

 

Collectors can check out the iconic 1959 Nikon F camera designed by Yusaku Kamekura, who created the remarkable logo of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the poster for the 1970 Expo in Osaka. It comes with a simple layout and easy-to-operate buttons that help veteran and amateur photographers capture clearly everything around them. 

 

Japanese food lovers might be used to the Kikkoman soy sauce bottle designed by Kenji Ekuan. Launched in 1961, it has a simple yet smart design that allows people to pour sauce without opening the lid.

 

Then there’s the old-school Sony Walkman-2 cassette player - the must-have fashion gadget of ’80s youngsters. Different from the first model with an existing cassette tape recorder mechanism, this renewed series came with a fresh external structure, making it easy to carry and enjoy music in an outdoor ambience.

 

“This travelling exhibition is part of the cultural exchange programme between Japan and other countries around the world. Featuring striking Japanese innovations and classic designs by famous designers, it is also a commentary on changing lifestyles,” says Norihiko Yoshioka, director-general of the Japan Foundation, Bangkok. 

 

“We might refresh the collection of products in next three or four years to ensure our exhibition genuinely relates to today’s designs. Our curators will select the old products that are still seen because that means they have become universal designs.

Those that have disappeared from daily life will be cut out of the display.” 

 

The Furniture and Houseware zone shines the spotlight on Japanese craftsmanship through the 1985 Folding Screen manufactured by Karacho, which was founded in Kyoto in 1624 and specialised in karakami (woodblock printed 

 paper). This handcrafted screen is constructed with ancient techniques and used to cover sliding doors and walls. 

 

The Issey Miyake + Reality Lab raised environmental awareness with the wireless In-Ei Mogura lamp that draws inspiration from origami (the Japanese art of folding paper). Launched in 2010, its shade is fashioned out of non-woven fabric using recycled fibre from PET bottles to give soft light and three-dimensional shape, making it an easy-to-match decorative item for the modern living space.

 

Issey Miyake blends craftsmanship with modern ecodesign in its InEi Issey Miyake Mogura lamp. 

 

In 2013, Marude Chuki company came up with the casting vessels for mosquito incense coils, offering the lid in six Ise stencil-inspired patterns that are attractive no matter where they are placed. Designed by Hiroshi Yamasaki and Miya Suwa, all the pieces are crafted in the Kuwana region of Mie prefecture, one of two main industrial casting centres in Japan.

 

Manufacturer Sakura Seisakusho and designer Yoshifumi Nakamura adopted the ancient design of a dining table in making their functional Feb desk, which made its debut in 2007. Named after the Nigatsudo (the hall of the second month) in the grounds of Todaiji Temple, it comes with foldable legs and is designed to be flexible for people sitting on the floor. 

 

“Japanese design pays attention to quality and reflects unique traditions. In Japan, we still see young and old generations working together. They have cultural capital and always survey their own speciality,” says Songwad Sukmaungma, senior curator of CEA. 

 

“Focusing on functionality and classic style, we can see how some Japanese products combine knowledge from the West and the East.”

 

The Tableware and Cookware department presents the three 15.0% Ice Cream Spoons set designed by TeradaDesign Architects for Takata Lemnos. Launched in 2011, they’re made with solid aluminium and transmit the warmth of the user’s hand to the ice cream, making it smoother and easier to scoop. 

 

Asakura Senpu’s water-repellent wrapping cloth can be turned into a bucket to carry up to 10 litres of water.

 

Other items include the 2009 Cupmen 1 Hold On designed by Akira Mabuchi, which features a man- figure who changes colour when you place it on the lid of a instant noodles cup and stops you burning your mouth.

 

Asakura Senpu’s water-repellent wrapping cloth launched in 2006 can be turned into a bucket to carry up to 10 litres of water and A-Net’s 1994 Home 1 coat designed by Kosuke Tsumura features several pockets to contain daily necessities, a must for those faced with a disaster situation.

 

The exhibition will move to TCDC Chiang Mai from June 8 to 30 and show at Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts Gallery between July 12 and 28.

  

MAKE A DATE

 

>> The Japanese Design Today 100 exhibition continued through May 26 at the Gallery Room of TCDC Bangkok until May 26. 

 

>> It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am to 9pm. Admission is free.

 

>>  Find out more by calling (02) 105-7400 extensions 213 or 214 or visit Web.TDCD.or.th.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/lifestyle/30368433

 

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