DESIGNART TOKYO 2024 is Coming Soon! Exploring New Perspectives Through Collaborative Curatorial Vision
Anticipated to unfold across Tokyo this year, DESIGNART TOKYO 2024 is the most extensive edition yet. With 117 diverse presentations, it promises to animate the city's vibrant streets. As one of Japan's most prominent design and art festivals, it showcases an intriguing mix of design, art, interior design, and fashion. It significantly impacts the industry, firmly establishing Tokyo as one of the world's leading cultural hubs.
This year's theme, "Reframing - The Beginning of a Shift," is a call to action for creators and audiences to rethink the familiar and discover new meaning by exploring ideas from fresh perspectives. In today's digital world, where information is instantly accessible, creativity often risks becoming commodified, resulting in a sense of déjà vu.
Set to take place across Tokyo this year, DESIGNART TOKYO 2024 is the most extensive edition yet. It will feature 117 diverse presentations to bring the city's vibrant streets to life. As one of Japan's most prominent design and art festivals, it not only showcases an intriguing mix of design, art, interior design, and fashion but also significantly impacts the industry, firmly establishing Tokyo as one of the world's leading cultural hubs.
This year's theme, "Reframing - The Beginning of a Shift," encourages creators and audiences to rethink the familiar and discover new meaning by exploring ideas from fresh perspectives. In today's digital world, where information is instantly accessible, creativity often risks becoming commodified, resulting in a sense of déjà vu. DESIGNART TOKYO 2024 aims to stand out amidst this noise by showcasing a carefully selected range of works that break free from traditional frameworks. These creators are not just reacting to the world but reframing it, offering bold new interpretations of art and design that embody a transformative shift in value.
Prepare to be inspired as Tokyo hosts a dynamic exchange of ideas, celebrating and redefining creativity in ways that will leave you excited and invigorated.
Clockwise from top left: Jiabao Li (TransVision), José Zanine Caldas (Sofa com rede), Human Awesome Error (Super Cell /Delinquent Son), Hiromine Nakamura (Do Not Let This Arrow Miss）
Clockwise from top left: 「ART」Kodama Kanazawa, Contemporary Art Curator / Code-a- Machine Inc.「DESIGN」Masato Kawai, Interior Stylist / Space Designer, Director of BUNDLE STUDIO Inc .「CRAFT 」 Yudai Tachikawa, Director of Traditional Techniques「TECHNOLOGY」Ryuta Aoki, Artistic Director/ Social Sculptor
Questioning new values in the world
In a world increasingly shaped by rigid assumptions and inherited perspectives, the exhibition asks: Are we seeing reality through someone else's filter? Whether driven by the pursuit of beauty or the desire to embody personal beliefs through their work, each curator contributes to a collective questioning of the limits imposed by common sense. Rather than defining each discipline, Reframing blurs the lines, emphasizing the fluidity between them and highlighting the potential of creative thinking when unbound by traditional constraints.
"This exhibition serves as a platform for fresh ideas and groundbreaking visions, offering viewers a chance to discover new perspectives and glimpse the future. Step into a world where assumptions are upended, and possibilities are limitless. Reframing promises an experience that could shift your understanding of what is and could be."
https://designart.jp/designarttokyo2024/exhibitions/8509/?lang=en
Spatial design by the HYBE Design Team
Works presented at Milano Salone 2024
The space for the exhibition is designed by HYBE design team. Led by Jun Takeda. As an interior design enterprise, HYBE design team infuses intrinsic value into our designs, adopting a hybrid approach that transcends the traditional constraints of time. The projects are a collaborative endeavor, achieved through the collective efforts of a diverse group, including clients, construction professionals, artisans, artists, and more, all working unison.
The HYBE Design Team had in-depth discussions with the curators of the Reframing exhibition to understand their vision and approach to curation. The curators emphasized the importance of examining the future while reflecting on the present day. They aimed to create a simple space where visitors could pause, observe, and reflect. The minimalist design allows each individual a personal and meaningful experience, fostering an intimate connection between the artwork and the observer.
The exhibition focuses on sustainability and challenges traditional standards using recycled materials in their raw, unaltered state. This approach sparks a conversation about how simplicity and sustainability can work together to redefine the future of design.
As part of this creative dialogue, the HYBE Design Team will present their vision at the ISETAN Salone in Tokyo Midtown. The event will run from Wednesday, October 2nd to Tuesday, October 29th. This presentation will offer an in-depth exploration of their ideas, providing a must-see opportunity for those eager to engage with the cutting edge of design thinking.
https://designart.jp/designarttokyo2024/exhibitions/7854/?lang=en
Celebrating the Timeless Appeal of Wood: AXIS GALLERY’s Collective Exhibition
Participating creators: CONSENTABLE / Takusei Kajitani, iwakagu, MARUHON INC., ODS / Oniki Design Studio, SHINYA YAMAMOTO, TGDA+639, tossanaigh
AXIS GALLERY, founded in 1981, has been a cornerstone in the design world, providing a platform for innovative creations and forward-thinking perspectives. This year's exhibition continues that tradition by showcasing a curated selection of works that explore the rich potential of wood, a material deeply intertwined with furniture and interior design.
One of the standout pieces is the latest offering from architect and designer Koichiro Oniki's ODS/Oniki Design Studio. His "Forêt" console and low table are masterfully crafted using the traditional Japanese Kumiko technique. This results in a three-dimensional assembly that pushes the boundaries of craftsmanship and modern design.
Takusei Kajitani is in the spotlight with his project, CONSENTABLE, culminates ten years of exploration. His theme, "Deep dive into what I want," reflects a decade-long journey of bringing to life objects that go beyond the conventional and fill a void in the design landscape.
Shizuoka-based custom furniture workshop Iwakagu presents a fresh perspective on woodworking, focusing on the relationship between wood and home environments. Meanwhile, MARUHON introduces a luxurious space where solid oak wood flooring is complemented by the natural beauty of iron and stone, illustrating the harmonious interplay of materials.
Designer Shinya Yamamoto focuses on the theme of "unsophisticated but charming," creating functional and sculptural furniture. The pieces have simple yet endearing forms that blur the line between product and art.
The exhibition also includes TGDA+639 (Gaku Takasu of TGDA and Toshifumi Momose of Hikimono-sho 639), who explore calculated geometrical beauty through "deconstruction and reconstruction." They employ deviations, rotations, and reversals to transform traditional production methods.
Rounding out this exceptional lineup is the design unit Tossanaigh, which presents a sustainable dining table crafted from leftover wood sourced from forests. This reinforces the importance of sustainability in contemporary design.
Venue: AXIS Gallery AXIS Building 4F, 5-17-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
TIERS GALLERY - Emerging Talent at TIERS GALLERY: A Showcase of Next-Generation Interior Design
Participating creators: FARM AND BUILD, HOJO AKIRA (UNDER 30), Masaya Kawamoto, PULSE
isit the TIERS GALLERY on the third floor of Arakawa's Omotesando showroom for an exciting exhibition featuring new works from four promising young interior product designers. This showcase offers a fresh perspective on the future of design, where innovation meets craftsmanship, sustainability, and the exploration of new values.
HOJO AKIRA (Is that structure essential?), PULSE (GROPING PROCESS)
Makio Nomura and Takeru Sato from FARM AND BUILD will showcase the STRAIGHT ARM CHAIR and NAJIO LOW TABLE. These designs embody their philosophy of design as a "cultivation" process. Their approach reflects an organic exploration of form and function, aiming to nurture new ideas and uncover fresh possibilities in interior design.
HOJO AKIRA, recently selected as a member of the prestigious UNDER 30 group, shifts the focus to mass production with a twist. His sofa design challenges the traditional priorities of quality control and inventory management, instead fostering a new relationship between users and manufacturers. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, his design incorporates recyclable materials, reflecting a growing concern for the environmental impact of mass-produced goods.
Meanwhile, Masaya Kawamoto will introduce his striking PF Chair / PF Armchair, which pushes the boundaries of colour and texture. Using an experimental salt bath colouring technique, Kawamoto achieves a range of unique tones, transforming the chair into a functional object and an artistic exploration of material manipulation.
The design collective PULSE, consisting of Rikiya Toyoshima, Shomu Taki, and Daiki Mitsui, brings an interdisciplinary approach to the exhibition. Their piece, GROPING PROCESS, merges various materials and techniques, demonstrating the collective's commitment to pushing the limits of design through fusion and experimentation.
Venue: TIERS GALLERY: 5-7-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tokyo Midtown’s DESIGN TOUCH 2024: Weaving the Future of Design
The upcoming Tokyo Midtown's DESIGN TOUCH 2024 exhibition will feature the theme "Woven Design—Weaving the Future" and the innovative work of three visionary creators. One of the featured designers is Saki Takeshita, an emerging talent selected as part of the prestigious UNDER 30 group. She will present her groundbreaking project, "Eeyo."
Takeshita's Eeyo redefines wooden product design through an intricate and visually captivating process. She uses balsa, the world's lightest wood, and applies a specialized dyeing technique combined with nearly 200-degree hot air to transform its natural colour. During this process, greens shift to pink, while blues evolve into red in a seemingly magical reaction, all driven by the unique compatibility between the wood and the dyes. The final outcome varies depending on the duration of dyeing and the intensity of heat applied, resulting in a rich array of colours and patterns.
Eeyo stands out for its ability to preserve wood's natural texture and grain while producing striking graphic effects on uneven, curved, and three-dimensional surfaces. This innovation opens up new possibilities in wood design by blending traditional materials with modern technology to create a distinctive combination of natural beauty and artistic expression.
Woven Design—Weaving the Future" offers a forward-thinking exploration of materials and techniques. Takeshita's work is a prime example of how craftsmanship can meet innovation to shape the future of design.
Venue: Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: Friday, October 11th - Monday, November 4th
Hibiya OKUROJI: A Fusion of Heritage and Innovation Under Tokyo’s Century-Old Brick Arches
Participating creators: CYUON × Naoto Ogawa, HONOKA, YUKAI KOGAKU, COLOR and WONDER, Ochi Baku (Smoke Artist)
Tucked away in the historic depths of Ginza, Hibiya OKUROJI, with its impressive century-old brick arches, becomes the stage for a captivating array of exhibitions. Set along a 300-meter walkway, this unique venue will showcase creative explorations across art, design, and technology, where traditional craftsmanship meets modern ingenuity.
AQUA CLARA, a leader in Japan's water server market, presents a compelling exhibit on bottle upcycling. In collaboration with HONOKA, a design lab renowned for highlighting the hidden beauty of materials and processes, this exhibit delves into the untapped potential of discarded bottles. Together, they create a sustainability vision through innovative reuse, transforming bottles into materials for new creations.
CYUON, a powder coating factory from Hiroshima Prefecture, teams up with designer Naoto Ogawa of Nomura Co. to present "Unknown," an artwork highlighting the interplay between metallic textures and transparent colour layers. This art piece blurs the line between industrial material and artistic expression, pushing the boundaries of how materials can be reimagined.
Embracing the theme "Make the world a better place through robotics," YUKAI KOGAKU, a developer of robots and consumer products, will present "PROTOTYPING☆YUKAI." This exhibition goes beyond showcasing their current product lineup by offering a behind-the-scenes look at the prototypes and development process from their annual event. It provides a rare glimpse into the innovative seeds from which future products grow.
COLOR and WONDER will also exhibit their latest designs, including the 2DEE wall storage system, alongside their popular 2TONE and VOX stool, which debuted last year. A highlight of their display is "Organic and Digital," featuring an unreleased table made from CLT (cross-laminated timber), marking their first foray into blending natural materials with modern design techniques.
The enigmatic Ochi Baku, an aesthetics researcher and smoke artist, will explore the relationship between nocturnal life and artistic expression in his piece "Nocturnal White." This atmospheric work investigates the beauty and mystery of life after dark, offering visitors a hauntingly beautiful sensory experience.
Under the brick arches of Hibiya OKUROJI, these exhibitions blend the past with the future, celebrating a marriage of craftsmanship, sustainability, and innovation that pushes the boundaries of design and artistic expression.
Venue: Hibiya OKUROJI 1-7-1 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
KEF Festival of Space: A Fusion of Sound, Light, and Design Excellence
The centrepiece of this year's KEF Festival of Space is a unique collaboration between British audio innovators KEF, renowned designer Michael Young, and acclaimed architectural studio Klein Dytham Architecture (KDa). Together, they have transformed the KEF Music Gallery in Aoyama, Tokyo, into an immersive showcase where sound, light, and design create a captivating sensory experience.
Founded in 1961 in the United Kingdom, KEF has long been praised for its innovative approach to high-fidelity sound. At this exhibition, their state-of-the-art LS60 Wireless Speakers will take center stage, delivering unparalleled audio quality that envelops visitors in a rich, multidimensional soundscape. These speakers, designed with precision and elegance, serve as the event's auditory backbone, amplifying the festival's immersive nature.
The visionary work of Michael Young complements the auditory experience. Initially designed in the 1990s, his multi-coloured stick light installation brings a vibrant visual energy to the gallery space. With their minimalist yet playful aesthetic, the lights create a dynamic interplay between colour and form, echoing the boundless possibilities of both design and the cosmos. Young's lighting installation interacts harmoniously with the audio environment, creating a seamless blend of sight and sound.
Michael Young
Michael Young is a prolific industrial designer known for his dynamic and innovative works. He has been working with KEF for many years developing a style that is at once elegant, minimalist, and unique. In collaboration with KEF's product design team, he has brought a rich imagination, sophisticated minimalism, and innovative approach through the Michael Young Collection.
Adding to the collaboration is the architectural finesse of Klein Dytham Architecture, the masterminds behind the design of the KEF Music Gallery itself. KDa's thoughtful spatial arrangement enhances the experience, guiding visitors through the gallery as they encounter moments where light and sound merge into a singular, immersive narrative.
This fusion of KEF's audio expertise, Michael Young's iconic lighting design, and Klein Dytham Architecture's spatial creativity culminate in an exhibition that pushes the boundaries of sensory engagement. It invites visitors to not only hear but feel the sound, to see the light and be enveloped by it, in a space where technology and art coalesce in perfect harmony.
Venue: KEF Music Gallery Tokyo 5-5-6 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Stellar Works Discover the future of workspace design
Stellar Works invites you to explore the future of workspace design at its Aoyama showroom. The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on how the brand's signature collection can transform workplace environments, seamlessly blending functionality and elegance. With a focus on "Cultured Sensibility" and "Timeless Craft," Stellar Works showcases furniture that transcends trends, embodying refined artistry and modern sensibility.
This immersive display demonstrates how their designs adapt to professional spaces, fostering creativity and collaboration while maintaining an air of sophistication. Visitors are encouraged to experience how the brand's ethos elevates everyday office environments into inspiring, beautifully crafted settings that create new values for contemporary workspaces.
Sony Group Creative Center: Create More Fun
At the Stellar Works showroom, the Sony Group Creative Center, the design division of Sony Group Corporation, is presenting an interactive exhibition called "Create More Fun." This exhibition showcases the role of CMF (Color, Material, Finish) in shaping physical and digital experiences. It explores how design elements and digital interactivity work together to shape the future of product development and experience design. Visitors will see how CMF influences objects' aesthetic and functional qualities, creating joy and enhancing user experience across different platforms.
Venue: Stellar Works Showroom Aoyama Bldg. 2F, 1-2-3 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
*We will explore the works with experimental ideas and new perspectives, please stay tuned.