type magazine
ISSUE TWO
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akenobu Igarashi is an internationally acclaimed graphic designer and sculptor, having made his mark on the design world with his architecturally compelling, axonometric alphabet series. Complex, mathematical and intricate is how best to describe Igarashi’s work, challenging interpretation and perception through a multi-dimensional approach. Igarashi was born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1944. Having graduated from the Tama Art University in Tokyo in 1968, he went on to earn a degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and then began his career by opening his own design firm. Wholistic in his design efforts, Igarashi worked in product design, trademark, corporate identity and environmental design. Clients included the Museum of Modern Art, New York Tama Art University, Suntory Hall, The International Science & Technology Exposition Association and many more. Either as an artist himself or as an editor or producer, Igarashi was also influential within design publications. In the late 1970’s he had work featured in leading Swiss design magazine, Graphis and later produced/ edited/ sourced and designed his own work for IDEA magazine, World Trademarks and Logotypes.
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garashi was as influenced by the grid systems and mathematical order of Swiss typographic ordiliness as he was influenced by architecture. Where Japanese architecture relies on unit systems, Igarashi employed similar principles: ‘The dot, which is the smallest component of perception; lines, which define positions and create boundaries between planes; grids, which bring mathematical order; surfaces, that can be visual and tactile; circles, triangles and the square.’ What is evident in Igarashi’s work is that his influences provide as much artistic vision as they do clarity and purpose. He establishes a strong foundation, creates a clear visual then applies colour digitally or sources texture physically. His refined style is often eccentric yet there is always functionality or reasoning in his design.
MY APPROACH TO DESIGN AND SCULPTURE HAS ALWAYS WAVERED BETWEEN MY WISH TO DO SOMETHING USEFUL FOR SOCIETY, AND MY DESIRE TO CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITH MY OWN HANDS - IGARASHI
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