Curious Space vol.2 | DESIGNART TOKYO 2019 Report (Part 2)

Satoko Yokota

2019/11/19

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text and edit by: Satoko Yokota

In "Worrisome Space",
Based on space reports such as the latest interesting architecture, exhibitions and events
We cut out "the current state of spatial design" from a unique perspective.
In the second installment, we will report on "DESIGNART TOKYO 2019", which is now in its third year.

It will be held at a total of 104 venues, expanding from the area centered on Aoyama to the Shinjuku and Ginza areas, and has developed into an international event with the participation of artists from more than 17 countries, including Israel, Hong Kong, Pakistan, and Thailand. .
We would like to introduce some of the works that will serve as hints for creating spaces in the future.
(Click here for the first part)

HISTORY × PHILOSOPHY |

Israel, the partner country of this event. As an exchange project, an exhibition of the Israeli design event "Jerusalem Design Week" was held at Spiral Garden in Omotesando. With its roots in the homeland of ancient Jews, Israel has developed as a country where creativity and innovation are mixed, and now it is also attracting attention in medical, technology, and startups, and unique and innovative designs that fuse various genres are being produced one after another. Born.

The theme of this exhibition is "Garden of Eden". Starting from the tension between nature, culture, technology, and myth, the installation expressed the meeting of the myths related to the resources of Israel, the "salt" of the Dead Sea and "wheat," which symbolizes the agricultural revolution.

Wheat is symbolically hung above the space covered with salt. Salt lumps placed here and there contain grains and fish. One of the cooking methods that has been practiced for 2000 years is the preservation of "salting". It was interesting to feel close to the "traditional food" of the distant past in a pure white and inorganic modern space.

The fins you can see are real fish!

Extra: Fusion of technology and delicacy

There were many other works that were not spatial works, but symbolized the philosophical perspective and culture of Israel, while also combining new technologies and modern sensibilities.

“THE COMMON THREAD – Guardian of the Garden” sheds light on the people who maintain gardens in Jerusalem and Japan, and expresses portrait photography through embroidery. A portrait is automatically embroidered by a machine that uses a uniquely developed algorithm and numerical control device to weave a line of thread around 471 nails. It was a wonderful combination of technology and the beauty of embroidery. A unique sensibility can also be seen in the fact that the garden manager is taken up as a "creator with a particular commitment."

MATERIAL × COMPOSITION｜Space created by simple materials and composition

"CORD/CODE" designed by ODS led by Koichiro Oniki presented an impressive spatial installation. He was in charge of the interior design of the cosmetic shop "The Ginza", which opened about a year ago, so he decided to hold an exhibition in the basement gallery this time.

Although it is a small space, there are points that catch your eye step by step. At the entrance, you will be greeted by beautiful light fluctuations. Designed as fixtures for product display, this work is made by cutting acrylic prisms at various angles and attaching a mirror surface.

Next to it is a cross-sectional model from the 1st floor shop to the 2nd basement gallery for "a bird's eye view of the building inside the building". Then, the new chair "CORD/CODE" will be exhibited, followed by a powerful installation exhibition in a space where the field of view will suddenly open. The metal cords are installed at slightly different angles from six starting points to create a unique undulation. It is a mysterious space that makes you feel as if a 3D model expressed on a PC has jumped out into the real world.

This exhibition means "creating rules (CODE) with lines (CORD)". Although the composition and materials are simple, it was a space that moved the heart by sublimating it into a beautiful work with "light" and "continuity".

PASSION × EXPERIMENT | Products born from passion and experimentation

I would like to introduce two works where you can feel the passion for "making", where you can see the desire and trial and error behind the completed product.

Balanced lighting with a pleasant switch sound

"Imbalanced balance" exhibited at AXIS's JIDA Design Museum is a work by M&T, a design unit by Miyu Ikeda and Takuto Kurashima.

The interesting thing about this work is that the shade, which looks like a paper balloon, naturally sways up and down when it receives heat from the lighting below. While maintaining balance by moving up and down many times, it slowly tilts to the opposite side, and when the horizontal axis in the center and the axis of the shade touch, the current of the lighting switches, and at the same time as the conventional lighting makes a "click" sound. disappears and the light on the other side lights up.

This unstable fluctuation that is repeated on the left and right makes you feel strangely comfortable. It seems that it will be an opportunity to turn your attention to the temperature and wind that you don't usually feel.

According to the designer, he wanted to create a work that appeals to human senses with minimal technology. The technology part is only the part where the current is switched and the "click" sound like the switch is turned on. The shape, thickness, and weight of the shade to naturally move up and down, the brightness of the lighting, the ratio of the axes, the balance of the weight, etc., are the result of repeated verification over and over again. Behind the comfort, you can see the background of trial and error, and you can feel the passion for creation.

primitive bark furniture

Finally, I would like to introduce the exhibition "Nature as Metaphor" held at Bunkitsu in Roppongi. From a distance, it looks as if real bark has been rounded and turned into furniture, but it is actually processed flat. In order to use it as a material while retaining the real texture, it seems that he found a unique method of softening the bark and pressing it flat. It is a work that you can feel the passion and energy of that experimental effort and actually giving it shape.

The work "Scalloping Series", which visualizes the technique of processing tree bark into fabric, which has been handed down from ancient times in Southeast Asia, is also a beautiful work that makes you feel a fundamental relationship with nature.

Every year, DESIGNART TOKYO is getting stronger with the internationalization of participating artists and exhibitions of a wide variety of genres such as art, design, and installation. We are looking forward to next year's event!

Overview of DESIGNART TOKYO
*The exhibition period has ended. Please check the information that will be released again for next year.
http://designart.jp/designarttokyo2019/
Date: October 18th (Friday) - October 27th (Sunday), 2019
Venue: Omotesando/Gaienmae/Harajuku/Meiji Jingumae/Shibuya/Ebisu/Daikanyama/Nakameguro/Roppongi/Shinjuku/Ginza
Organizer: DESIGNART Executive Committee
Supported by Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture
Supported by: Embassy of Israel, Minato Ward

*please note*
The information on exhibitions and linked websites in this article is current as of the time this page was created.
Please note that it is subject to change.

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