Yusaku Kamekura (1915-1997) is a graphic designer best known for his posters for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and his “Good Design” and NTT logomarks. He was also a pioneering force in the development of graphic design in Japan, exemplified by his participation in the establishment of the Japan Advertising Artists Club (JAAC), Nippon Design Center and the Japan Graphic Designers Association (JAGDA), and his involvement in the “Good Design” campaign promoting excellence in industrial design. Throughout his career, right up until his death at the age of 82, he continued to actively lead the field in Japanese graphic design, garnering attention and acclaim worldwide.

This exhibition will display, for the first time, several hundred books and other publications from among the near 10,000 collected by Mr. Kamekura on design, art, photography and architecture both in Japan and overseas. In his later years Mr. Kamekura devoted his talents to editing and designing “Creation” magazine, which featured “good works” regardless of whether they were by famous designers or not. His vast library, which includes many precious works no longer available today, affords us a glimpse into the broad spectrum of Mr. Kamekura’s interests and his many associations and friendships. Visitors will be permitted to take these works in hand and browse through them. Also on exhibit will be Mr. Kamekura’s representative works, including his well-known posters and logomarks. We hope that through his collection of books and other publications visitors will make new discoveries about design and art and also acquire an understanding of the history of graphic design in Japan in the postwar era.