There is no way i can do justice to either the beauty of this book or to the insightful text by hara or to the range of design displayed. In 100 whites, hara gives 100 examples of white, such as snow, iceland, rice and wax. You have to see the book yourself to really appreciate the fact that, of all the gorgeous designs presented withinand there are scores of themnone is more gorgeous than the book itself. Its not often that i come by a book that is so true to its core ethos in both form and message. Kenya hara born 1958 is a japanese graphic designer and curator. Kenya hara, born 1958, is a japanese graphic designer and professor at the musashino art university in tokyo. Kenya haras latest book stepping on the shimanto river by kyoko nakamura, kazuko nomoto and kaori hashimoto, in the 1st exformation theme, river. It is the global flagship store which has the largest area of all muji stores in china. The story of japans design ethos, by mujis celebrated art director.
A research and book project about kenya hara, japanese graphic designer cum brand consultant of muji. Kenya hara has been credited as key figure in further developing muji. Hara has put an amazing amount of meticulous detail into making the act of reading his book such a physically and mentally enjoyable. As art director for muji since 2002, japanese graphic designer kenya hara born 1958 and his aesthetic of paredback, beautifully functional objects has taken the world by quiet storm. New york tuesday, october 19 th, 2010 muji introduces the muji book published by rizzoli, as its 30 th anniversary publication. Kenya hara has also authored several books such as designing design, white, and galapagos which was recently released last year a book that talks about mujis journey to the galapagos islands with an attempt to rethink human life and happiness by discovering pristine nature untouched by humanity. Kenya hara breaks down mujis unique appeal metropolis. They write gracefully, but without the back patting celebration one might expect. Writing for designers kenya hara, muji and minimalism muji book from rizzoli see more. Kenya hara is a japanese graphic designer who helped cement the philosophy of japanese brand muji by leveraging the concept of emptiness. The central concepts discussed by kenya hara in this publication are emptiness and the absolute void. White not only plays an important role in japanese cultures in general but also in the work of kenya hara, art director for muji. As a graphic designer, i am always creating information.
Naoto fukasawa, kenya hara, masaaki kanai, kazuko koike and takashi sugimoto. On a recent trip to tokyo, design anthology sat down for an insightful conversation with venerable design theorist, author and art director of japanese lifestyle brand muji, kenya hara exformation unlearning or unknowing is the subject of your book. Kenya hara betrachtet seine arbeit als designer als eine. A typography 8spread editorial layout project based on an established renowned assigned designer.
Kenya hara is a japanese graphic designer, curator and writer. Muji, which hara describes as a concept or ideology rather than a product design, was created as a sort of antithesis at the height of japans economic wealth in 1980, and was consequently. One of my favorite books on design is the first design book i ever read cover to cover. Kenya hara, yukie inoue, misa amako, simpei nakamura text. Hara does not design muji products or even oversee its productdesign division. Youre now its president, and in 2002, became the art director at muji. Offering a unique insight into mujis inspiration and process, the muji book illustrates the extraordinary lengths muji will go to preserve its principles. At that time, my role was to explain the muji concept to the world. Hara has a background in graphic design, hence had experience in designing packaging and corporate identities. He is interested in the designing circumstances and conditions, rather than the things. It is rather kenya haras attempt to explore the essence of white, which he sees as being closely related to the origin of japanese aesthetics symbolizing simplicity and subtlety. Kenya haras latest book november 25, 2015 emma jukic comments off on seeing the world differently. Acclaimed designer and theorist kenya hara shares his thoughts on simplicity versus emptiness i was asked to be the art director of muji in 2001, a time when the brand was already successful. Representing a new generation of designers in japan, kenya hara b.
New york tuesday, october 19th, 2010 muji introduces the muji book published by rizzoli, as its 30th anniversary publication. Designing design book summary my little bookshelf medium. On the basis of these examples he discusses the importance of white in. The graphic designer and curator, who is responsible for the art direction of the company, looks to emptiness as a space for imagination. I tried to be as careful as possible when designing these posters as i was designing them for someone whom i admire to great heights. Representing a new generation of designers in japan, kenya hara born 1958 pays tribute to his mentors, using long overlooked japanese icons and images in much of his work. Muji, releasing on october 26, 2010, from rizzoli, is a delightful brand book. All contents in the publication images and text belongs to. Muji and has considerably moulded the identity of this successful corporation as communication and design advisor ever since.
Hara, kenya and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. From the textured white in the title, the pure white on the first page and the printed white within the pages. Kenya hara also sees his work as a designer as a form of. Kenya hara, among the leading design personalities in japan, has also called attention to himself with exhibitions such as redesign. After that you entered the nippon design center, a firm founded in 1959 with the aim of improving the quality of advertising design in japan. Kenya hara, the creative behind japanese lifestyle company muji, defines the idea of emptiness as something more appealing.
In 2001, he enrolled as a board member for the japanese label muji and has. Kenya hara has 20 books on goodreads with 6165 ratings. Hara has been the art director of muji since 2001, and designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the nagano winter. In 2000, he produced the exhibition redesigndaily products of the 21st century, which successfully presented the fact that the resources of astonishing design are found in the context of the very ordinary and casual. I had the immense privilege of designing a poster for harasan in order to commemorate his visit to stumptown. Muji shanghai huaihai 755 has been opened at huaihai lu the main shipping street of shanghai city on saturday, 12 december 2015. In 2001, he enrolled as a board member for the japanese label muji and has considerably moulded the identity of this successful corporation as communication and design advisor ever since. Architecture for dogs is an earnest architectural project for a new happiness for dogs and humans alike, planned by worldfamous architects and designers. Hara has been the art director of muji since 2001 and designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the nagano winter olympic games 1998. Hara is one of the leading designers in japan and his books designing. Muji by keikaku, ryohin and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Books go search your store deals store gift cards sell help. In order to mark the opening of shanghais flagship store, kenya hara, a member of mujis advisory board, gave a public talk. Naoto fukasawa, kenya hara, masaaki kanai, kazuko koike and takashi sugimoto contributors. The book maintains the simplicity of the brand image. Book of the week kenya haras designing design designers. Ultimately it has to do with how we perceive our relationship with nature. In designing design, he impresses upon the reader the importance of emptiness in both the visual and philosophical traditions of japan, and its application to design, made visible by.
To better understand this core qualitywhat makes japanese design so, well, japanesei consulted kenya hara, a tokyobased communications designer and the mastermind of mujis global brand identity. Jay bring the growth of the brand into firm perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in art, design, novel. As a brand, muji has neither striking idiosyncrasies nor specific aesthetics. Kenya hara runs his own studio within the august nippon design center, acts as a professor at musashino art university and is both a board member and the art director of muji, the noname brand. It is rather kenya haras attempt to explore the essence of white, which he sees as being closely related to the origin of japanese aesthetics symbolising simplicity and subtlety. See more ideas about design, kenya and branding design. See more ideas about design, kenya and book design. By downloading blueprints and looking at photos of prototypes and instructional videos, anyone can build architecture for dogs, then take a photo afterwards, with a dog, and upload it onto the site. Muji cd player muji style naoto fukasawa audio design contemporary classic stores interior design inspiration industrial design interiores design. Muji jasper morrison, naoto fukasawa, kenya hara on. Even though these concepts might appear similar, emptiness in japanese aesthetics is different from western simplicity, observes hara. For those of us involved as much in design criticism as design itself, those are welcome words. The world of white, from muji art director kenya hara.