The Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA), established in 1978, is one of Asia’s largest design organizations, its membership currently standing at some 3,000 designers. JAGDA undertakes a wide variety of activities aimed at enhancing the environment for communication through design. These include organization of exhibitions and seminars, support of design education, initiatives to cultivate public design and revitalize regions, international exchange, and publication of a yearbook: Graphic Design in Japan.
Each year, from among the works selected for inclusion in Graphic Design in Japan JAGDA presents the “JAGDA New Designer Awards” to promising designers under the age of 40 who are expected to be prominent in the field in the years to come. Since the awards were inaugurated in 1983, they have been bestowed on 116 designers now active at the very forefront of their profession. As a result, today the JAGDA New Designer Awards are considered a gateway to success, and their winners garner much attention among members of both the design and advertising fields.
In 2021, after a rigorous selection process evaluating 139 eligible candidates, the 39th JAGDA New Designer Awards were presented to Toru Kase, Ryuichi Kawajiri and Arata Kubota. This exhibition will introduce their winning and recent works, with a focus on posters and product designs
Toru Kase
1. Photo book design (cl: Kohei Kawatani)
2. Record cover design (cl: Space Shower Networks Inc.)
3/4. Spatial design for in-store fair (org: Daikanyama Tsutaya Books; co-org: Takeo + Sendenkaigi + Hakuhodo)
Ryuichi Kawajiri
1. Works and publicity tools for one-man show (org: FAbULOUS)
2. Publicity poster for one-man show (org: FAbULOUS)
3. Publicity poster for event (cl: ntiti building)
4/5. Spatial design for exhibition at public services facility (cl: Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center — SCARTS)
Arata Kubota
1. Poster for sake brand (cl: Sake Project)
2. Poster for sake brand (cl: Sake Project)
3. Package design for sake brand (cl: Sake Project)
4. Logo for Rugby World League organization (cl: Japan Super Rugby Association)
5. Newspaper ads for newspaper company (cl: The Shizuoka Shimbun and Shizuoka Broadcasting System)
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1987. Graduated from Rikkyo University, College of Business (major: International Business), in 2010, and from Kuwasawa Design School (major: Design) in 2011. He went freelance in 2015, working mainly in graphic design, editorial design, and the production, provision and exhibition of graphic works.
Born in Rumoi, Hokkaido, in 1982; currently living in Sapporo. Graduated from Hokkaido Institute of Design (Graphic Design Course) in 2006. Joined Deza-in in 2010. Received Sapporo Art Directors Club (SADC) New Designer Award in 2011 and SADC Grand Prix in 2019.
Born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1981. Graduated from Tama Art University, with a concentration in Graphic Design, in 2006 and joined Dentsu. Recipient of the NY ADC Gold Prize, D&AD Yellow Pencil and CANNES LIONS Gold.
Traveling Exhibition
Information will be provided when available.
Publication Featuring the Award-winning Works
The award-winning works will be featured in the opening pages of Graphic Design in Japan 2021, slated for publication in June. This annually produced collection of JAGDA members’ works was launched in 1981 to introduce Japan’s multitude of high-quality graphic design works worldwide. All JAGDA members are eligible to enter their works of the previous year into the competition to be selected for inclusion in the yearbook. (Publisher: Rikuyosha Co., Ltd. Price: JPY 16,500)
Organizer
Creation Gallery G8
Co-organizer
Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA)
