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EXHIBITION

The 10th Yusaku Kamekura Design Award Winner

Taku Sato Exhibition

  • DATES : Mon. March 31 - Fri. April 25, 2008
  • HOURS : 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Wednesdays 8:30 p.m.)
  • Closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Admission free.

The Yusaku Kamekura Design Award was established in 1999 to honor the achievements of the late graphic designer Yusaku Kamekura (1915-1997), and to promote the further development of the graphic design field. Operation of the award program and selection of the winner, chosen annually, are performed by the Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA). JAGDA awards the prize to the designer whose work or works are judged most worthy among all entries featured in its yearbook, Graphic Design in Japan.

The 10th Yusaku Kamekura Design Award was bestowed on Taku Satoh for his VI, posters and spatial design for “water,” the second exhibition mounted at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.

The scope of Taku Satoh’s professional activities is remarkably broad. It includes product design (Lotte Mint Gum series, Meiji Oishii Gyunyu milk, NTT DoCoMo P701iD cellphones, etc.), art museum VI design, planning participation and art direction of language programming for NHK Educational TV, etc. For the “water” exhibition at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT (October 5, 2007 – January 14, 2008), which he directed, over the course of two years he assembled a team of prominent members drawn from numerous fields, including experts in cultural anthropology, photography and lighting design. The exhibition was the culmination of their collective research and discussions.

Mr. Satoh was selected to receive the Yusaku Kamekura Design Award in reflection of the high acclaim for the “water” exhibition as a milestone achievement demonstrating the possibilities of design; his outstanding strength in direction, making the difficult topic of water, a concern common to all mankind, enjoyable; his world-class originality; and the robust number of visitors to the exhibition and its broad impact.

This exhibition has been organized to commemorate Taku Satoh’s winning of this prestigious award. An award ceremony will take place on the opening day.

  • Posters

  • Logos

  • “water” exhibition
    Photo:Masaya Yoshimura/Nacasa&Partners Inc.

  • Design for “water” exhibition
    Photo:Masaya Yoshimura/Nacasa&Partners Inc.

  • “Cat’s Umbrella” with “Drippy”
    Photo:Masaya Yoshimura/Nacasa&Partners Inc.

Taku Satoh

Graphic designer Taku Satoh’s diverse creative activities encompass product design (Lotte Xylitol Gum, Meiji Oishii Gyunyu milk, etc.), branding, VI for museums and art museums, and CI. He also serves as Director of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.

Exhibition Overview
The exhibition will center on Mr. Satoh’s award-winning works for the “water” exhibition, and new works further expanding on his earlier “Paper Fossils” employing layered paper, originally shown in 2004. At the gallery he will experiment with three-dimensional projection, demonstrating the future potential of packaging media.

Yusaku Kamekura Design Award
The Yusaku Kamekura Design Award was established to honor the design achievements of the late Yusaku Kamekura (1915-1997), and to promote the ongoing development of the graphic design field. Made possible by a gift from the Kamekura family, the award program is operated by the Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA), where Mr. Kamekura long served in the role of its founding president. Under this program, the “Yusaku Kamekura Design Award” is presented annually to the designer of the work or works deemed most outstanding among all entries included in the JAGDA yearbook, Graphic Design in Japan. In addition, every three years the “Yusaku Kamekura International Design Award” is bestowed in recognition of exceptionally outstanding work or works shown at the International Poster Triennial Toyama, held at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art.

Mr. Kamekura loathed being forever identified for his works created for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and until just before his untimely death he eagerly vied against the younger generations of designers with works vibrantly “set in the present.” Through his editorial work for his graphic design magazine “CREATION,” he pursued the artistry and true essence of graphic design. Respecting his wishes, the awards presented in his name honor graphic design that blends universal appeal with innovative creativity. Each award comes with a prize of JPY 500,000 and a plaque designed by Taku Satoh.

Previous Winners of the Yusaku Kamekura Design Award
Ikko Tanaka (1999), Kazumasa Nagai (2000), Kenya Hara (2001), Kashiwa Sato (2002), Masayoshi Nakajo (2003), Kazunari Hattori (2004), Mitsuo Katsui (2005) and Shin Matsunaga (2007). (No work was judged worthy of the award in 2006.)

Organizer
Creation Gallery G8

Co-organizers
Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA), Yusaku Kamekura Design Award Office

Cooperation
KIRA Corporation Co., Ltd.; Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.; Wombat Inc.

Message from the Award Winner
My generation is likely the last to have been able to interact directly with Yusaku Kamekura. I vividly recall the time when, heaving been selected to serve on the JAGDA Annual Screening Committee for the first time, I went to where the screening would be performed. I can still remember the atmosphere that filled the spacious venue. Upon entering, from among the various prominent committee members present I was approached by Mr. Kamekura. “Are you on the Screening Committee?” he asked me, a somewhat undefinable expression on his face. I couldn’t tell whether his nuance was “It’s nice to see the younger generation getting on board” or “If someone as unproven as you can be a committee member, JAGDA is doomed.” I remember proceeding with the screening process, my mind shrouded in feelings of uneasiness. In retrospect, I’m now certain his intent was the latter.

The very first time I met Mr. Kamekura was in 1990, when, of my own volition, I mounted my first solo exhibition at Axis in Roppongi. I had sent him a notice of the event knowing full well that he would surely not be interested in coming. But one day, unannounced, he stopped by. His coming was so unexpected, everyone was thrown for a loop. I was in my office at the time, working, when I received a phone call from one of my staff members at the venue, telling me with a mixture of excitement and anxiety that Mr. Kamekura was there. “Don’t let him leave!” I implored, and I jumped in a taxi and sped to Roppongi. Mr. Kamekura was still there: Yusaku Kamekura, the man who graced the pages of my textbooks, there, right before my eyes. I immediately went up to him, this celebrity so far removed from my reality, and introduced myself. I think I must have explained my works to him, but if I did, I’m sure what I said was totally incoherent. I have no recollection whatsoever of what I actually said. After he left, I tried to recall whether I might have said something stupid, or maybe something impolite, and I worriedly mulled over my every word and action. THAT, for some reason, I remember perfectly well. So although I indeed had contact with Mr. Kamekura, he remained a god-like figure, far beyond the realm of a mere mortal like myself.

Receiving this Yusaku Kamekura Design Award, I recall my nervousness on that earlier occasion. And, at a time when I am focusing on expanding the possibilities of design, I am grateful for the opportunity receiving this award gives me to mull over “graphic design” once again. The “water” exhibition, for which I received this award, took place with the participation of many individuals. I wish to take this opportunity to again express my gratitude to all of you. Thank you so much.