Talking Type Issue 2 • December 2017
TAKE NOBU IGAR ASHI Modernist Typographic Master East meets West Axonometric alphabet - try saying that 3 times fast!
THE BASICS Origin: Hokkaido, Japan
Education: Tama Art University California University
Known For: Axonometric Alphabets Product Design Sculpture
Influences: Architectural Forms Swiss Style Grid Systems
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TAKE NOBU IGAR ASHI
To strike the careful balance of function and form is no mean feat, and Takenobu Igarashi is a master of the art. An internationally acclaimed graphic designer, typographer and sculptor, Igarashi has created and continues to create multidimensional letterforms and typographic sculpture that is the perfect blend of east and west.
His style is heavily influenced by Japanese architecture and structural forms, along with the Swiss designers, who favoured the grid system and mathematical order. As mentioned previously, his work straddles the line between function and form, with creations that are both exacting and visually intriguing. His MoMA calendar, with axonometric numerals, is considered to be one of his masterpieces. At a glance, it appears simple, but with a closer look, one realises how complex and structural each numeral is.
Igarashi is a man of many talents, with a resume ranging from product designer and visual identity creator to large-form sculptor. He experiments with mediums, and does not let his creations become stale. While some work is heavy and sturdy in appearance, the next is delicate and can appear to be floating - it is this element of fluidity in his work in the midst of the structure and order that makes an Igarashi original distinctive.
Not just content with creating works that are both useful and beautiful, Takenobu Igarashi is also invested in the future of design. He teaches the new guard of graphic designers coming through both Chiba University and the University of California. His brand of modernity has been the source of inspiration for decades and is set to continue, as his work does not age.
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There are three essential things in work: Passion, Challenge & Discovery. Without that, work gets boring; with that, work is enjoyable. And artwork that is enjoyable also results in success.
IMAGE: Source https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/469641067377064763/
TAKENOBU IGARASHI
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