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EXHIBITION

Yusaku Kamekura’s Library

  • DATES : Tue. September 21 - Fri. October 8, 2010
  • HOURS : 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and holidays. Admission free.

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.

<Works by Yusaku Kamekura>
Tokyo Olympics poster (1962)
Osaka Expo ’70 poster (1967)
Yamagiwa International Competition for Lighting Fixtures Exhibition poster (1968)
Hiroshima Appeals poster (1983)
NTT logo (1985)
Good Design logo (1959)
“Creation” magazine (Vol.1-20) (1989-1994)

<Works in Yusaku Kamekura’s Library>

Yusaku Kamekura

Graphic designer, born in Niigata Prefecture on April 6, 1915. 1933: Upon graduating from the Second Middle School of Nippon University, began working at an advertising office directed by Hideshige Ota. 1938: Joined Nippon Kobo, where he was art director of “NIPPON” and other magazines for overseas readers. 1951: Participated in establishing the Japan Advertising Artists Club (JAAC). 1960: Took part in the establishment of Nippon Design Center Inc. and became its managing director. 1962: Went freelance and established the Kamekura Design Institute. During his lifetime Mr. Kamekura received numerous awards both in Japan and from abroad. In 1980 he was bestowed a Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon by the Japanese Government. In 1991 he was designated a “Person of Cultural Merit” by the Government. In 1993 he was inducted into New York ADC Hall of Fame. In 1994 the Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw bestowed on him its first Honorary Doctorate. Mr. Kamekura served as president of the Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc. (JAGDA) for 16 years, commencing with its founding in 1978. He succumbed to acute pneumonia on May 11, 1997. His representative works include posters for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Expo ’70 in Osaka, the World Design Exposition in Nagoya and the Hiroshima Appeals campaign, and logomarks and logotypes for Good Design, NTT, Nikon and Yamagiwa.

Exhibition Overview
On exhibit will be several hundred of the near 10,000 books and other publications Yusaku Kamekura collected relating to design, art, photography and architecture both in Japan and abroad. The exhibition will also highlight Mr. Kamekura’s representative works, including his posters and logomarks.
<Main Publications on Exhibit>
Magazines: “IDEA” (from No.1), “graphis” and “Neue Grafik” (Swiss design magazines), “domus” (Italian architecture magazine). Anthology collections introducing the Bauhaus, Isamu Noguchi, Ken Domon, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Paul Rand, Saul Steinberg, etc. Books relating to posters, corporate identity, logo design, typography, package design, etc. Also books about architecture and art, yearbooks, illustrated reference books, etc.
Note: Visitors will be free to pick up and browse all books on exhibit. They are asked to use the white gloves made available for that purpose.
Note: Visitors will be free to pick up and browse all books on exhibit. They are asked to use the white gloves made available for that purpose.

Organizer
Creation Gallery G8

Cooperation
Yusaku Kamekura Design Award Office
The Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art

Related Exhibition
“The World of Yusaku Kamekura”
DATES: September 10 (Fri) – November 28 (Sun), 2010
HOURS: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Fridays until 6:30 p.m.)
Closed Mondays.
The Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art Permanent Exhibition Hall
3-278-14 Senshu, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2083 TEL: 0258-28-4111