The Design Association NPO organised for the first time in Italy, the “Takumi Exhibition”, part of the “Able and Partners Japan Design Week in Milan 2017”.

“Here is the Japanese design based on tradition but in continual renewal.”

The exhibition combines Japanese tradition and the latest modern design.

TAKUMI Exhibition –  “From Japan to the World”

“Takumi” dotted all over in Japan will become a pillar of future creative in Japan.

Furniture, fashion, products, food, line up the concepts of manufacturing in Japan and artworks with technology installed.

In “Japan Design Week” visitors were able to view films of ” Design Week events”  held in 4 different cities around Japan —  Hirosaki City in Aomori, Asuka in Nara, Ureshino City in Saga, and Fujisawa City in Kanagawa.

Local municipalities host original design week events utilizing the intellectual and creative resources of the region.

This project aims to inspire regional pride and develop human resources by creating and transmitting original content with Design Week.

HIROSAKI DESIGN WEEK -SAKURA-
DATE: 2016.4.23(Sat) – 5.4(Wed)
VENUE: Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture

HIROSAKI DESIGN WEEK -RINGO-
DATE: 2016.10.8(Sat) – 10.10(Mon)
VENUE: Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture

HIROSAKI DESIGN WEEK -WINTER-
DATE: 2017.2.11(Sat) – 2.12(Sun)
VENUE: Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture

URESHINO DESIGN WEEK
DATE: 2017.2.5(Sun) – 2.12(Sun)
VENUE: Sano City, Saga Prefecture

FUJISAWA DESIGN WEEK
DATE: 2016.11.25(Fri) – 12.18(Sun)
VENUE: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture

ASUKA DESIGN WEEK
DATE: 2016.7.16日(Sat) – 7.17(Sun)
VENUE: Ashihara City / Takatori Town / Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture

Tsugaru Nuri – Hare Nova

A new design project work of traditional craft Tsugaru Lacquerware first shown during Hirosaki Design Week, held in Hirosaki City;

A product developing project that aims for revival of Tsugaru Nuri with local craftsman.

Since the new products are designed by Toshiyuki Kita who has a worldwide reputation, it is aimed to be marketable with a high degree of recognition.

In addition, with bringing a profound effect from overseas, it also aims to expand domestic demand, and extend to the market in Japan.

Toshiyuki Kita is one of the most famous Japanese designers in the world who commends with some creations the typical activity of Hirosaki, namely the cultivation of apples from which the famous cider is produced

From painting the surface of Cypress tree, and repetition of sharpening and polishing, the solid and elegant lacquer ware is born after completing a long process of over forty steps for more than two months.

The four types of techniques “Kara-nuri”, “Nanako-nuri”, “Monsha-nuri”, and “Nishiki-nuri” have been handed down to the present.

The history of Tsugaru-Nuri dates back to the Edo period, about 300 years ago.

In 1975 it is officially designated as traditional crafts of the country

About Toshiyuki Kita

Began designing in Japan and Milano from 1969.

Many of his works are selected for permanent collections in museums world-wide.

He is also very active as creative producer in multiple fields such as revitalizing and promoting various local Japanese traditional crafts and industries.

POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN

There was a town that has never known the outside world after being surrounded by a cliff of 4000 meters.

The town is full of chimneys. Smoke keeps rising from morning till night and clouds are always all over head. People, living in chimney towns are trapped in black smoke, so they have seen neither the blue sky nor the shining stars.

This is a miracle story of a garbage man and a boy of chimney sweeper, born in such a city

Published in October 2016.

The latest work. Japan’s current best seller. A hit of 270,000 copies.

Completed within four and a half years with 33 illustrators participated in the division of labor system.

For this picture book, 9550 people contributed 56.5 million yen in cloud funding project.

About Akihiro Nishino

Born in Japan in 1980.

Performs live activities and TV appearances as a comedian.

Also performs scenarios and directing the stage and film, and writing activities.

In 2009, he made his debut as a picture book author with a picture book “Dr. Ink’s Starry Sky Kinema”, written with a single 0.03 mm monochrome pen.

After that, “Zip & Candy” “The Music Box Planet” was published.

The latest work “POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN” is produced with 33 illustrators participated in the division of labor system.

Currently in Japan 270,000 copies.

The next work “We are in love at the clock tower” is also under production.

Ukiyo-e Inspired Exhibition

The origin of Japanese art.

Masterpieces of Japanese art, such as Hokusai’s paintings and prints, and works by contemporary designers live side by side in a selection of stunning ceramics, calligraphy art and drawings.

The works of the most renowned contemporary artists are exhibited along with the works of three great Japanese historical artists – Itō Jakuchū, Toshusai Sharaku and Katsushika Hokusai – in the section Ukiyo – and Inspired Exhibition.

Works from top contemporary artists were shown alongside works by three great historical Japanese artists— Itō Jakuchū, Toshusai Sharaku and Katsushika Hokusai—in “Ukiyo-e Inspired Exhibition”.

Hokusai Manga

Sharaku

Itō Jakuchū

CO-GIN STITCH

Kogin-zashi was originally developed during the Edo period to make farm clothes warmer and more durable in the cold Tsugaru region.

Today, this needlework technique is still prized for its beauty

CO-GIN STITCH brings the style and technique of Kogin-zashi to contemporary fashion, complete with interchangeable collars and cuffs.

The prefix CO- comes from the idea of unification through working together. Creating fashion together with craft, and the future together with the past.

Kogin embroidery was developed from Sashiko, quilting clothes for heat insulation and reinforcement of fabric, by female farmers who lived in the middle of harsh nature of the northern Japan region.

Kogin is embroidering linen by cotton threads with geometric patterns according to a certain rule, and there are three types of it; “Higashi Kogin”, “Nishi Kogin”, and “Three-striped Kogin”.

Tsugaru Bird Whistle

Hatobue; a flute shaped pigeon made by “Tsugaru Yaki”.

It sounds a shrll peep when you play.

With uniting the traditional technique of Hatobue(Shitakawara pottery) and Tsugaru Yaki which grow up in Hirosaki, a brand new cute Hatobue is born.

The pattern of the wings is sea‐cucumber image which is representative of Tsugaru Yaki.

SISYU    (Calligraphic Artist)

The “Takumi Exhibition” will include six installations by contemporary creators from a wide range of genres, including the “SISYU Exhibition” of transcending calligraphy art by representative female calligrapher “SISYU”.

Japanese art is rooted in the white and black expression by brush, defined as “SHO (or calligraphy).” Ukiyoe, which attracted Gogh, is also an art of “SHO’s lines.”

The lines in Ukiyoe seem to appear flat on the paper, but they are remains of engraved surface on the woodblocks. Likewise, letters are originally engraved in bones.

Using calligraphy, Sisyu has established herself as an artist in Japanese calligraphy and expanded by incorporating them into sculptures, media arts, and paintings.

Sisyu is projecting these art forms to the world.

SISYU liberates SHO from tradition.

The brush stroke liberated from 2D and tradition dances without any limitation in the air

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