GRAFIK SOCIETY. Ikko Tanaka
Tanaka The man behind the father of japanese design p.4
Exhibitions Where can you find work of Ikko Tanaka? p.6
Essential Books Looking for a good read? We have selected the best books of Ikko and graphic design. p.12
Issue 1
02/03/2016 Design - Art
â‚Ź 7.99
4 6 9 CONTACT Editor-in-chief : Michael Lebbe Mail : michael.lebbe@Ap.be GSM : 04//9604//7847
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Who is the man behind the father of graphic design ? This article will give some more info about ikko in general.
EXHIBITIONS
There are a lot of art exhibitions dedicated to ikko here are a few you definitely want too check out.
Works We sum up a few of his most important pieces that really were the best of his works.
Essential books We have written down some book you really need to read if you want learn more about japanese design and graphic design
RELEVANT ARTISTS There are a lot of artist that follow in Ikko’s footsteps so that’s why we give them a place in our magazine.
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Born in Nara (Japan) in 1930, Ikko Tanaka created a style of graphic design that fused modernism principles and aesthetics with the Japanese tradition. As a child he studied art and as a young adult he was involved in modern drama and theatrical study groups. In 1963 he formed Tanaka Design Studio where he worked for corporations such as Mazda, Hanae Mori, Issey Miyake and the International Garden and Greenery Exhibition.
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of Kabuki, while others are more abstract with a Western Op Art flavor. ‘’His work is completely modern yet deeply influenced by Japanese culture,’’ said Paul Davis, the poster artist. ‘’He was a master of the fine art of Japanese calligraphy and an expert with Western typography, which made him unique among his colleagues.’’ Nihon Buyo , 1985
Nihon Buyo He is most well-known for his poster design for the Nihon Buyo performance by the Asian Performing Arts Institute. The poster shows his fusion of modernist sensibilities and traditional Japanese culture through the simplified illustration of a geisha. He designed, among other things, posters, logos, packaging and annual reports. Among his wide ranging work, his designs for the symbols for the Expo ‘85 in Tsukuba and the Expo Tokyo ‘96 garnered much attention. It was not until later in his life that he started winning most of his awards, including the ADC Gold Metal in New York, the Mainichi Design Award,the Tokyo ADC Members Grand Price and the New York ADC Hall of Fame Prize, among several others. He also won the Silver International Poster Biennale in Warsaw. In addition to all of his graphic design works, he has also published several books on design and showcasing his own work. Many of his most identifiable images pay homage to old representations
“His work is completely modern yet deeply influenced by Japanese culture” Mr. Tanaka further bridged a professional gap between the many experimental Japanese designers and those who devoted themselves to the service of corporations. In addition to his many posters and booklets for cultural organizations, he created logos, package designs and annual reports for different kind of companies.
Hiroshima Appeals , 1988
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01. Tokyo 21_21 Design There are a lot of exhibitions about Ikko Tanaka.Here we have put some of the most important exhibitions that you can visit . Be quick though because some of them are almost closed.
Exhbitions
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Tokyo’s 21_21 Design Sight opened its 21st exhibition on 21 September. Such an assortment of coincidences appears as an astronomical sign to look enthusiastically into the future and invites us to re-discover the world of one of Japan’s leading masters of contemporary graphic design and art direction: Ikko Tanaka . The title of the exhibition has been chosen by creative director Kazuko Koike as it represents best the concept that “Tanaka’s being stands at the point where the meridian of time and the latitude of East and West cross their ways”. The translation of the exhibition’s title from Japanese to English reveals subtle differences in constructing the concepts of
the spoken languages in East and West. Ikko Tanaka was aiming his practice to transcend disparate times, cultures and their challenges through universal aesthetic values. Kazuko Koike points out that Ikko Tanaka brought playfulness, colors and light into the greyness of post war Japan. For more info : www.domusweb.it
02. Japanische PlakatkĂźntsler It was an interesting exhibition presenting the history of the graphic design in Japan. Between the artists, we find the old masters in the field, Shigeo Fukuda, Kazumasa Nagai and Ikko Tanaka; who have generously donated their works to the museum. However, the list of japanese artists collaborating with the exhibition is long, and all of them present a very personal style within the japanese nuances. Some are younger, other older; but all together they compose a master collection that the visitant can have an overall impress of the japanese graphic design.
selected paper, account for the high aesthetic level of these posters. The museum also offered videos interviewing some of the master designers and also books explaining all about the artists and their designs. It is difficult to summary all the different styles we enjoyed in the exhibition. For more info : www.museum-gestaltung.ch
The manipulation of photographs and the use of state-of-the-art printing techniques, along with carefully
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03. Ikko Style Focusing on the core of his artistic practice, poster design, Ikko Style will provide a colorful look into how Ikko Tanaka’ s ideas were visualized and transmitted to a broad audience. Over 30 posters will be on view, all of which are part of the museum’s permanent collection and will be exhibited for the first time. Tanaka’s style is provocative yet timeless, drawing visual idioms from his cultural background and redefining them with the collective imagination of the present time. Born in Nara, the cradle of Japanese civilization, educated in Kyoto, the imperial capital and the cultural hub of Japan, and starting his career in Osaka, the city of commerce and art patronage, Tanaka was well situated to be a successful graphic master in Tokyo, an international metropolis. For more info : www.pacificasiamuseum.org
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04. The 200th exhibition Exactly one year after the sudden passing of Ikko Tanaka, it was very significant to have an Ikko Tanaka Exhibition at the Ginza graphic gallery. The exhibition focussed on his posters and graphic art. While his activities were highly varied, he continued to make posters and graphic art which he considered to be the origin of his identity. For more info : www.dnp.co.jp
Works When you really want to know an artist you have to look at his work and the context when he made it. We have put some of his most famous posters down here so you as a reader have a short introduction with his work.
1981 The Nihon Buyo poster was used to promote a Japanese performing troupe at the Asian Performing Arts Institute of the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles).It became a famous piece that represented Tanaka’s unique style. Tanaka was highly influenced by the aesthetics of constuctivism as well as the simplicity and logical methods of design . The colorful geometric shapes and clarity of design is an aspect of Tanaka’s work that reflects the influence of constructivism.
Many of Tanaka’s work involved the motif of ropes including the Amnesty international poster of 1977. The rope motif came from a japanese myth that involved the sacredness of the organic pocess of withering. Tanaka is commonly referred to as one of the last Rimpa artists because of his traditionally trained background but his style ans pioneering designs were not direct matches with the style of these artist.
1971 Ikko tanaka
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1987 Tanaka’s Japan poster made use of Japanese symbolism and aesthetic appreciation was mixed with western stylistic elements to create a minimal but pleasing poster. The fusion of different cultures defines much of Tanaka’s work The Kanzo Noh poster was another example of Tanaka’s affection for Noh theatre. As opposed to the earlier poster , this piece is much more aggressive and experimental with its use of color. The nich theatre was a particulary important motif for Tanaka , who was inspired by the Japanese theatre. The imagery that alluded to Noh theatre became a defining aspect of Tanaka’s work.
1982
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Japan revoked the ban on Christianity. This move represented the society’s readiness to accept foreign culture. Similair to Ikko Tanaka’s work , this event was an example of the fusion of the cultures.
1995 Sharaku nikyakunen (200th Anniversary of Sharaku ) exhibition poster was influenced by the Kabuki Theatre and used simple shapes to define the characteristics of a Kabuki actor. Similar to Tanaka’s attraction to Noh Theatre , his interpretation of Kabuki theatre was anifested through a western form of vocabulary with geometrical shapes and bold colors. The poster for Hiroshima Appeals applied universal metaphores with his particular geometric and aesthetically pleasing form. This was also an example of the simple yet unique compositions that he explored.
Canon introduced the first color photocopier allowing for a greater emphasis and attention to color in graphic design . Ikko Tanaka’s work involves a beautiful and effective color palate which added grace and elegance to his work .
Nintendo was founded . This institution blossomed into a leading figure in the entertainment industry and embraced the technological advancements to create a new genre of leisure : video games .
1988
For more info you can always check: www.designishistory.com Ikko tanaka
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Essential Books We have picked some of the most interesting books that you can buy on Amazon.com that has to do with Japanese design and Ikko Tanaka himself. These are our favorite books about Japanese graphic design.
01. The Hybrid Culture by Ikko Tanaka and Seseko Tsune
02. Tanaka Ikko : Graphic master
16.00 $
by Gian Carlo Calza Thor and Ikko Tanaka 83.22 $
03. Graphic Design in Japan by Japan Graphic Designers Association 47.75 $
04. New Traditional Japanese Design by BNN 56.00 $
05. Graphic design vissionaries by Caroline Roberts 24.39 $
06. Graphic Design in Japan : Vol.1 by Masaru Katzumie 39.18 $
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Relevant Artists
Ikko Tanaka inspired a lot of great artists through his work . He was director of his own academy in Tokyo and delivered several great graphic designers. He was a role model for graphic designers worldwide because his message was one for the world. We have put three artists down here that are really followed in the footsteps of Ikko Tanaka.
SHIGEO FUKUDA Shigeo Fukuda was a Japanese graphic designer best known for his works portraying deception while incorporating optical illusions making him the first Japanese designer to be inducted into the Art Directors Club hall of Fame. Surely he is the best know graphic designer in his year but never forget Ikko Tanaka is his senior and he used to work under him and got influence by his modern traditional graphic style. Want to learn more about him : www.designishistory.com
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ISSEY MIYAKE ISSEY MIYAKE has regularly participated in Paris Fashion Week since 1973. The design concept challenges the conventional idea of garment making and strives to highlight the relationship between body and cloth. Issey Miyake is an internationally renowned designer. Inheriting his spirit of innovative product creation with
the goal of enhancing people’s daily lives, Miyake staff constantly search for ways to incorporate the joy of life into the company’s creations. More on his website : www.isseymiyake.com SEMITRANSPARENT DESIGN Semitransparent design is a graphic design studio founded in 2003 and is based in Tokyo. The team consist about 3 different parts : Design , Device and Program. So they are not only busy with the design but also whats going on at the back of their projects . They are a great allround studio with alot of awards under their name . A few of these awards are the Spikes Asia , London International Awards and many more. They are heavy influenced by Ikko Tanaka and made a exhibition for him. Website : www.semitransparentdesign.com Ikko tanaka
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Grafik Society 2015 Š www.grafiksociety.com Michael Lebbe