The Yusaku Kamekura Design Award was established in 1999 to honor the achievements of the late graphic designer Yusaku Kamekura (1915-1997), and to contribute to 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 works are judged most worthy among all entries featured in its yearbook, Graphic Design in Japan.

The 16th Yusaku Kamekura Design Award was bestowed on Kaoru Kasai for his “HIROSHIMA APPEALS 2013” peace campaign poster.

In his long career Mr. Kasai has engaged in a remarkably wide range of design fields, including: long-term advertising for Suntory Oolong Tea and United Arrows; CI, spatial planning and package design for Toraya Confectionery; cinema and theater advertising art: and book design. His works, simultaneously imbued with grace, serenity and strength, invariably leave a deep and lasting impression.

“HIROSHIMA APPEALS” is a campaign targeted at fostering world peace. Every year a prominent member of JAGDA creates a poster for the “HIROSHIMA APPEALS” series on a voluntary, non-remunerative basis. Mr. Kasai’s award-winning work, the 16th in the series to date, was highly acclaimed for its brilliant “return” to the fundamentals of graphic design and its impressive appeal achieved through simple but strong black lines.

CREATION GALLERY G8 is pleased to host a solo exhibition to commemorate Mr. Kasai’s winning of this highly regarded award. Besides his “HIROSHIMA APPEALS 2013” poster, the exhibition will also include a large selection of Mr. Kasai’s original drawings prepared in the course of developing his various artistic works.