Feb. 26-June 5 During Japan's postwar economic boom, the term "zakka," which literally means "uncategorizable things," was usually used for mundane everyday tools and objects such as kettles, brooms and buckets. Since then, it has evolved to mean miscellaneous goods of a much broader range ...
The difficulty of being Frank Gehry
The exhibition "Frank Gehry: I Have an Idea," currently at 21_21 Design Sight and curated by fellow architect Tsuyoshi Tane, crams in a lot, but it's not exactly a linear retrospective. Rather, it's an upward look at a man on a tightrope — a ...
'Architect Frank Gehry: I Have an Idea'
Oct. 16-Feb. 7 Canadian-born American architect Frank Gehry, known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and more recently the Fondation Louis Vuitton building, is the focus of 21_21 Design Sight's new exhibition. Art-directed by architect Tsuyoshi Tane, who is currently working on a redesign of the ...
'Motion Science' sways toward kids
There is a bit of a Renaissance feel to "Motion Science" at 21_21 Design Sight. Consciously compounding science, technology, art and design for the greater good of promoting curiosity and discovery in general, the exhibition is targeted at children and students. Automated devices and ...
June 19-Sept. 27 Creative director Seiichi Hishikawa, known for his work on TV commercials and the opening visuals for NHK historical dramas, curated this unusual exhibition for 21_21 Design Sight. As the title "Motion Science" suggests, this exhibition features works that bring movement to artistic expressions. ...
The measure of all things is limitless
In its light-hearted approach of presenting exhibits that include everyday items, contemporary design, artwork and historical objects, "Measuring: This Much, That Much, How Much?" at 21_21 Design Sight has its fair share of crowd pleasers. It begins with the "Perfektron," an installation that cleverly brings ...
There is a giant serving of culture in one bowl of rice
Rice. A bland, white carbohydrate? Staple food that forms the nourishing core of every meal? A crop that has molded culture and society? Or primal sustenance imbued with mystic life force of the gods?
'Toward a Design Museum Japan'
Design is integral to just about every aspect of our lives. It influences us daily— from our everyday interactions to abstract ideas. Today, design museums not only archive and showcase works, but recognize their roles as platforms for dialog, discussion and retrospective thought. Since it ...
Tadao Ando: Icon and iconoclast
One of the first houses built by Japan's most famous architect, Tadao Ando, is centered around an open atrium. That sounds nice until you realize that the atrium forms the only "corridor" between each of the rooms. Fancy a hot cup of tea before ...
Top creators call for museums to save nation's modern heritage
What do industrial design, architecture, manga, anime, video games and traditional craft techniques have in common? Well, apart from each having spawned some of Japan's most popular cultural exports, the similarity is this: Japan has no national museums dedicated to their preservation, display and ...
