As you enter the hall, pulled outwards with its glossy white walls, the scene invites you to indulge in what it’s offering: you’ve once again found yourself at the awe-inspiring garden that is a Japan House exhibition. Japan House exhibitions have a reputation for wow-ing the attendee, but the experience of Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN is impressive to say the least.
As always, the setup encourages you to start wherever you want. Simple white cubic structures (all made of sustainable materials) are dotted around, sometimes atop one another, to elevate the complexity of the designs presented around them. It’s always a delight to see what creative ways the exhibition directors will use to display everything, and for one centred around design, nothing is more fitting than the elegant minimalism that steps back to give glory to the pieces. Are you tantalised yet?
After quite a few visits to this Kensington culture spot, we’re always beaming with anticipation for whatever’s next on the programme. Our latest trip directs us to gaze upon the impact of Japanese design in history and the present day, from the 10,000 year old Jomon villages to the small revolutions of the bright and creative minds of today. So many household names can spawn from one’s head when given the small island country of Japan as an origin prompt; artists like Hayao Miyazaki, Yayoi Kusama and Hokusai have been honoured by the world for decades (and, of course, centuries in the latter’s case). But pure art isn’t the only outlet that vivid and creative minds can enhance: good design expands the utility and reliability of everything that is produced. Japan House London’s exciting new exhibition, Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN, encompasses all of the above and more.
On one side, a colourful jumble of wooden toys fills a glass case. “Toys are our first contact with design,” are the words of Tsujikawa Koichiro by the exhibit, a film director and one of the designers collaborating on the exhibition. The history and thought behind the design of these folk toys and spinning tops is thoroughly explored, deepening the appreciation for such crafts beyond the small joys of playtime.
As well as such universally known pieces like the spinning top, other lesser known relics of Japanese culture make an appearance in the hall, each with different designers leading the research. An ancient Haburagin garment (the first of its kind to be shown outside Japan) is explored by fashion designer Morinaga Kunihiko, while Hirokawa Tamae delves into the details of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. A TransAcoustic piano delves into thoughts around synaestheic experiences and how one designs for emotions and the connection with one’s senses. Some rugby jerseys on display take the viewer into the precise and remarkable collaboration between sport and innovation in order to create jerseys moulded precisely to the figure and needs of every player. Then… from shirts to the endless thoughts and detail made to produce everyday stainless steel cutlery: whatever your thoughts on ‘design’ might be, prepare to be surprised and to discover things anew.
If you were to pick only one of the centre’s exhibitions to dive into, this is the ultimate stop for a bellyful of Japanese culture and design. We’ve seen masterful woodworking and the methods of braiding kumihimo in previous programmes, but this accumulates the essence of all these: spanning music, architecture, crafted goods and fashion. After heightening your senses to Japanese design, in an area dedicated for visitors to share their thoughts, words along the walls in a gentle serif prompt you: “What does design mean to you?”
Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN is showing at Japan House London now.
