Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts

18.6.10

About Ikko Tanaka


认识田中一光(1930-2002)是今年初在日本偶遇他的海报回顾展。60-70年代已经制作出这么多一流的作品,人工丝网印刷的海报很有质感,艺术感浓厚。无意中拜见到大师的作品可以说获益良多,亦对自己今时今日也只能‘骗吃’的水准觉得惭愧⋯

回到新加坡后在苏格拉底猫发现《设计的觉醒》一书,价钱贵了一半但是还是买了下来,数个月后的今天终于把它读完。



田中先生除了是一流的海报设计师之外,也热爱书籍、杂志设计,还能写文章,演戏剧,煮饭,出色的领导人和先见者⋯ 多产量同时又高质素,简直是神级的人物。MUJI品牌的产生,田中先生亦是主要的幕后功臣,当时原研哉都还未加入行列。

这几个月都一直带着它,有时间就刨几页⋯ 对于日本从大战后慢慢复苏,一班充满热诚的设计师把平面设计的理念崛起、延伸和茁壮起来,的确令人兴奋。旅行时刚好读到这一篇文章感觉特别亲切:

“ 一个人的创想之旅(1987)
设计师工作的原点是观察。观察世界,观察人类,观察文化。
只是,这样的旅行一定要一人独自完成,万万不可结成团队。因为如果不是一个人行走,是吸收不到有助于设计的养分的。而越是单独行动,才越有机会更多地和人和物接触⋯ ”

然后想起其实Sagmeister也曾经写过类似的话:Traveling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life, 突然为自己的旅程也感到兴奋起来。我不擅长表达自己的感想,search到这个人的读后感应该写得比我好: 齐婧妍。

很可惜好像田中一光,杉普康平,龟仓雄策,福田繁雄等等这种老一辈大师级的作品在网上并不齐全,比较简洁介绍田中先生的网站在这里。年轻的时候完全忽视这些最根本的设计之美,一直追求不实际的奢华的cool graphics... 而其实这些才是真正平面设计的内涵和底蕴所在。

要学习的,还有很多很多呢⋯


( By the way, the book I've read about Ikko Tanaka was in Chinese, I find it's hard for me to write this post in English, if you can't understand Chinese... use google translator >_< '' )

16.3.10

so-en

I buy So-en 装苑 magazine once a while... Yeah it's quite a girly magazine, and I can't understand Japanese as well. I just like flipping through all those wonderful styling and photograph, every single images in it is nicely crafted and damn beautiful.

Just found out Aoi Yu 蒼井優 was on the cover of So-en men's special last October. The sweet Aoi in men dressing, kakkoii @.@... 好靓~

more pics here~

13.3.10

when genius meets genius meets genius

Jun Takahashi (高桥盾) + Dieter Rams + Asano Tadanobu (浅野 忠信)



Dieter Rams, is undeniable the world most influential industrial designer. We've seen how Rams influence on Apple products, and now even fashion designer Jun Takahashi (Undercover) taking Rams' inspiration further by playing a tribute to Dieter Rams in his latest Spring/Summer 2010 collection - "Less but better".

Currently Undercover Aoyama shop is displaying the new collection, together with whole bunch of Rams' products all over the place. Personal thinking that the products had become more appealing than the clothes, almost like a mini exhibition of Dieter Rams, but the details on the cloths just gel with the product so nicely, it is very inspiring still.



And this is the first time Undercover present their latest collections in a Mook (Magazine+Book) form. I bought one from the previous Japan trip ~ Beside the ingenious apparels, the things that grabbing my attention the most is a series of photo shoots with Asano Tadanobu! Yeah~ My favorite fashion designer + favorite industrial designer + favorite actor of all time... I really love this shit!


- all photos via Slamxhype.

27.2.10

到此一游


- September 2007


- February 2010

23.2.10

Tomodachi


Been promised Mari-chan that I will design a namecard for her about 2 years ago, and in return she will make me a Robonut plush toy! Apparently she had already made it and mailed to me while I was in Shanghai, but I never received it, it was long gone...

By having more time alone recently, I finally made a namecard for her. Based on the fact that all Mari's works are handmade and each of them are totally unique and different, I decided to make a stamp instead so she can DIY her own cards as well.



The Robonut's plush was lost, but in the end she gave me another 'nuts'! Really love these special peanuts. Kawaii! Arigatou gozaimasu.

19.4.09

a good week

This is a pack and interesting week for me.
Quite inspiring and meaningful:

---
Wednesday:
Caught the performance by the multi-instrumentalist - Otomo Yoshihide
大友良英. Been expecting something more noise or experimental Jazz, but the show turned out quieter than i expected, feeling more like Minimal Tech. It was also the first time in my life seeing a gig that the organizer shouted at the crowd: "Be quiet!". I was once wonder that am I in a cinema or what...

In fact, should called this an art performance instead of a gig.



---
Saturday:
Attended exhibition of the photographer - Yasumasa Yonehara 米原康正, the one who famous for taking sexy hot babes' photos. Yes, I hate Japs! This is a crossover exhibition with the graffiti artist Reach. I was slightly late for the opening, and missed the live painting on model's body. Damn~





Found some more event pics here.

---
Sunday:
I've been living in 番禺路 for almost half a year, but just found out few days ago there is such a huge sculpture gallery nearby. The Red Town, which is located in the opposite direction on my daily route to my office, and only takes 10 minutes walk from my place. It is kinda like the sculpture version of M50. And there got bookstore that sell design books too! Woohoo!




Sometimes good things might just beside you and me, we just need to wander to the other direction...

27.10.08

I love Jap / part2


Jun Takahashi 高桥盾 / Fashion

The mastermind behind Undercover. Jun Takahashi is a multi talented genius, his gift from street fashion to hi-fashion, drawing to sculpting are undeniable. I'm still regret i didn't buy a Undercover's tee last time when i visited Tokyo... also check out his blog.



---

Wonderwall / Interior
Bathing ape, Collete, Uniqlo, 100% Chocolate Cafe, Beams T... Yes, almost all the chic, designy, good looking store that i can ever think of, are designed by Wonderwall inc, founded by Masamichi Katayama 片山正通



---

Kazunari Hattori 服部一成 / Graphic Design
If you ever flipped Tokyo Art Director or Type Director club's annuals, you would probably have seen Kazunari's works before. The regular winner of both awards, his design is so simple yet unique, check out his latest exhibition.



---

Tadao Ando 安藤 忠雄 / Architect
The master Architect, the one who designed the church of the light. Ando did not receive any formal architectural schooling. Instead, he trained himself by reading and traveling extensively through Africa, Europe, and the United States. Really love his trademark 'dotted' concrete wall.



22.9.08

I love Jap / part1

Suddenly think of compiling a list of Japanese designers that i really admire, so here we go:


Kenya Hara 原研哉 / Graphic Design
The Zen master of graphic design and also the man behind Muji.
His philosophy on senses and haptic is giving GD a whole new perspective.



---

Groovisions / Graphic Design
Always love their simple and graphical style.
The 100% cafe is still one of my favorite identity design.


---

Kashiwa Sato 佐藤可士和 / Graphic Design
The creative behind UT,
and founded the superb interactive agency Tha with Yugo Nakamura.



---

Taku Satoh 佐藤卓 / Graphic Design
Another GD master.
His outlook make me think of Alan Chan from Hong Kong.
But honestly i prefer Taku's stuff more than Alan one :P


---

Koichiro Tsujikawa 辻川幸一郎 / Director
A genius director from Japan,
the one who created the mind-blowing music videos for Cornelius and so on. Type Koichiro Tsujikawa in Youtube and you'll get to see most of his brilliant works.



And this is one of my favorite from Koichiro :)


to be continue...

13.9.08

Nagi Noda 1973-2008


Nagi Noda, 1973 - 2008.

My first met Nagi's works was in Collette 2006.

That was almost our last day in Paris.
We were visiting Louvre museum in the morning. Louvre is too huge and it's impossible to see every single artworks in one day. And I know if I walked in usual speed, I'll gonna missed out Nagi's exhibition in Collette. So I ran, by skipping a lot paintings and finished my Louvre's trip in half day.

To me, Nagi's works are even more inspiring than staring at Monalisa for hours. ( Yes, i have to admit I don't know how to appreciate oil paintings,
I am low class.)

I was in love with Nagi's works since then. She is so daring, brilliant, genius, unique... 'creative' is not enough to describe her, please suggest me a few new words.

This morning when I was surfing some design portals as usual, i was so shocked by the headline ' In Memory of Nagi Noda'. No way! Is this a joke? Is this some teaser or viral for Nagi's latest exhibition? I still can't accepted it and so I Googled, and Wikied... And It is real, Nagi passed away on 7 Sept 2008 in the age of 35.

This is a great sadness, i was depressed for a while,
and smoke a few cigarettes continuously, then called friends about the news... like losing someone really important in my life, I dunno why.

We will miss you Nagi. See you when I am 35.

27.7.08

without thought - Naoto Fukasawa





Always crazy about Japanese stuff. From graphic, fashion, product, architecture, and even their music. Japanese design always leading the trend, bringing the perfect balance between culture and contemporary, giving us non-stop surprises.

Naoto Fukasawa (深泽直人) is definitely one of the most influential designer in the universe. The one who design the ingenious Muji fan's CD player, the man behind plus minus zero, the one who brings the simplicity and functionality to the next level. Yeah, everybody knew him, but i just can't resist to talk about him again...

Just read an old article about his philosophy - without thought.
"You shouldn't need to use an instruction manual to learn how to use a product," he said. "It should be so intuitive that you work it out naturally." (read more).

A product is not only a product, but a tool to communicate with the end user intuitively/subconsciously. Beautiful~

* quite useful list about Naoto. Here (in Chinese)