“Pollockknowsthecountry’sdesignhistorywellandthekeyrolethatdesignhasinJapanesesociety....Innearly500fullyillustratedpages,sheprofiles70architectsanddesigners.“--ArchitecturalRecordHereisagroundbreaking,comprehensiveoverviewofJapanesedesignduringthelasteightdecadesthatwillappealtoartists,craftspeople,designers,andhistorians.FortheJapanese,theconceptofdesignisnotlimitedtofunctionalityandmateriality--itisdeeplyconnectedwithcultureandtradition.Inthissense,everydayobjectsbecomemorethantheirfunction:Theyaretobereflectedupon,tobetouchedandcherished.Asmassproductionbecamewidespreadinthepostwarperiod,fascinatingcross-culturalexchangesbegantotakeplacebetweenJapanandtheWest.Andinrecentyears,anewgenerationofdesignershastakenJapanesecreativityintoentirelynewterritory,reconceptualizingtheverymeaningofdesign.AuthorNaomiPollockwrites,“Itdoesn’treallymatterwhatthemediumis,whetherplasticormetal,manufacturerstreatthematerialwiththesamekindofreverence...theattentiontodetailand,aboveall,respectforthehandoftheartisan,whetheratraditionalcraftspersonorafactoryworker.Eventhemass-producedorcomputer-generatedcanbecreatedwiththeprideandcareofthehandmade.“Hugeinscopeandscale,featuringtablesandchairs,cameras,andtelephones,fashion,buildings,vehicles,andmore,featuringhundredsofobjectsandcontributionsfrombothJapaneseandWesterndesignersinspiredbyJapan,thisvolumestandsasthedefinitiveworkonthesubject.Somenameswillbefamiliar(KazuyoSejimaandRyueNishizawaofSANAA,IsseyMiyake,ShigeruBan)aswillbesomeofthedesigns(theSonyWalkman,Panasonic’sPanapetR-70radio,theAiborobotdog,Yamahamotorcycles,andShiroKuramata’srose-filledMissBlancheacrylicchair).Butthereissomuchherethatevenknowledgeabledesignerswillfindsomethingnewandthedifferent.Thisisauniqueresource--beautiful,educational,andentertaining--thatwillappealtoanyonewithaninterestinJapaneseculture,apassionforinternationaldesign,orjustatasteforbeautifulproductsofallkinds.
EDUCATIONAL fashion DESIGN PANASONIC DESIGNERS cameras BEAUTIFUL IsseyMiyake JAPANESE BUILDINGS
