6th “1_WALL” Graphics
Today, modes of artistic expression are becoming increasingly diversified, and together with artists who wholeheartedly seek to express themselves in new ways, Guardian Garden aspires to be a venue for considering new expressive modes. This aspiration derives from our hope that artists will overcome any hurdles in their way by offering them a gallery wall where they can express themselves freely, through their works.
The third and final round of judging is conducted open to public viewing. The six finalists give presentations of their works on display and their plans for their solo exhibition if they win the Grand Prize. The judges discuss the merits of each finalist’s portfolio, works shown, and presentation, and together decide the winner of the Grand Prize.
A group exhibition is held spotlighting the six finalists to emerge from the second round of judging. Each finalist is allocated a gallery wall (approx. 3.85m wide and 2.5m high) to display their works. Besides the works themselves, the judges also take into consideration how the finalists use their overall display space and how they show their works.
Satoe Akimoto
Born in 1988
1cyome
Born in 1977
MA in Oil Painting Course, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts &Music.
Maki Ohkojima
Born in 1987
Graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design’s Graduate School of Art and Design with a Masters Degree in Fine Arts.
Arisa Odawara
Born in 1979
Pinpin Co
Born in 1983
Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts’ Graduate School of Fine Arts with a Masters Degree in Architecture.
Go Tanaka
Born in 1983
Natsumi Seo
Selected by Ichio Otsuka
Natsuki Akaike
Selected by Atsuki Kikuchi
Kenta Okawara
Selected by Kaoru Takai
Yutaka Nakagaki
Selected by Kiyonori Muroga
A portfolio review is held one-on-one between each entrant and a judge. Here, the entrants are given the opportunity to directly explain the motives behind their works or their production process. After all portfolio reviews are completed, the judges assemble to discuss their assessments and select the six finalists.
Judging is performed based on entrants’ work files and data. The judges, all prominent in their respective fields – design, illustration, photography, etc. – plus members of the secretariat, render their judgments from various perspectives. Thirty entrants are selected to continue on to the second round of judging.
(Illustrator, Art director)
Illustrator and art director born in Niigata Prefecture in 1968. In addition to numerous illustrations created for books, advertising and music-related works, he is art director of “Miitsuketa!,” an educational TV program on NHK. He has published a collection of his works: illustration book, ICHIO Otsuka’s MAGIC! With film director Hirokazu Koreeda he has co-authored the picture book Kuna.
(Graphic designer)
Born in Tokyo in 1974. He attended Musashino Art University, majoring in Sculpture. In 2000 he established Bluemark, and then in 2011 he founded his own design studio. His work areas include brand planning, logo design, signage planning, editorial design, etc., with a strong focus on art, fashion and architecture. He is also the principal of Book Peak, planners and publishers of art books.
(Art director)
Art director born in 1972. President of MR_DESIGN Inc. His major work includes Toyota ReBORN, Suntory BOSS, LISMO!, Nyanmage, S.T. Corporation’s Air Counter, T Boo! S for TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), Mizkan’s Toromame, etc. Nico products and the “Earth Garbage Bag” of his design are sold at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), Collette in Paris, London’s Design Museum and la Rinascente in Milan. www.mr-design.jp
(Art director)
Graduated from Tama Art University. After initially working in Suntory’s advertising division, in 2002 she joined SUN-AD Co., Ltd. While working primarily as an advertising art director, she also designs packaging, CD covers and commercial products. Her major clients include Suntory, Haat (ISSEY MIYAKE INC.) and CLASSICS the Small Luxury. Awards Takai has received to date include the Tokyo ADC Award and JAGDA New Designer Award.
(Editor)
Kiyonori Muroga was born in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, in 1975. Since 1999 he has performed editorial work mainly in planning related to graphic design, typography and visual culture. He also is engaged, internationally, in critique, lecturing and exhibition planning concerning those genres. Mr. Muroga formerly served as editor-in-chief of “IDEA” magazine. In recent years, he has been in charge of books such as The Next Form of Lettering Designs in Japan and Noritake’s WORKS. He is editor-in-chief of JAGDA’s “The Graphic Design Review” website.