pigeon express

New slideshows at ChowPourianLab

2010-09-17T23:01:00.004+09:00

New slideshows have been added to the selected works page at chowpourian.com - go on and have a look!

Los Logos Compass

2010-09-16T16:17:00.004+09:00

Some of Huschang's work will be featured in Los Logos: Compass - ‘a competent classification of prevailing tendencies in design’ published by Gestalten - will be released at the end of September. For more info, check the Gestalten website.

Mini-Design Mart 2010

2010-07-31T15:51:00.009+09:00

The Hong Kong Design Centre and Ambassadors of Design Hong Kong have partnered up to produce a seasonal event for promoting Hong Kong’s creative talent.

August 13-15, 2010 (Friday to Sunday)
11am - 6pm

Innocentre, 72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong
Directions: MTR Kowloon Tong (East Rail Line or Kwun Tong Line), Exit C2. It’s a short 5-minute walk down Tat Chee Avenue, on the left side.

ChowPourianLab will be at Booth 45, Foyer A, ground floor atrium.
Hope to see you there!

UK > HK: Farrells / Placemaking from London to Hong Kong and beyond

2010-06-20T18:27:00.008+09:00

Always more than happy to dive into an art- / architecture- / design-related challenge, designing this nearly 300-page 17-year retrospective was my first appointment in HK.

UK>HK: Farrells Placemaking documents the trajectory of architects / masterplanners Terry Farrell & Partners (a.k.a. Farrells in the UK, and TFP in HK) 'from London to Hong Kong and beyond.'

Since winning the international design competition for Hong Kong's new Peak Tower in 1991, TFP has been prolific throughout HK and China, expanding its reach to include projects in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Australia, South Africa and the Middle East.

Published by MCCM in 2008, you can pick up the book online from Amazon or check your local bookstores and design/lifestyle shops... G.O.D. in Hong Kong definitely stocks it!

Elected, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts

2010-06-20T11:51:00.004+09:00

The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts has elected me to its membership.
Now in its 130th year, the RCA is the oldest visual arts organization in Canada, and "recognizes excellence and lasting contribution to Canadian culture in twenty disciplines."
I'm honoured and happy to be a part of this, and look forward to meeting fellow RCA members at the induction ceremony.

O Canada! Snapshot British Columbia and a bit of Alberta

2010-04-18T19:02:00.017+09:00

O Canada!

2010-04-18T13:06:00.010+09:00

Took a road trip through British Columbia recently. If you've never been, I would highly recommend it.

Best souvenirs of this trip...

• "True North Strong and Free" t-shirt: official Olympic swag from Hudson's Bay Company

• Canada wind-up mini rider: kitsch at its best

• VisiColor prairie dog target with colour-coded hits (purchased in BC, though this product is by Champion Target in the US): bold graphics with a practical purpose

• Buffalo pork pepperoni (The Original Longview Roni Stix): flavour and texture combine with such strength that the graphics don't need any muscle

The Big Book of Bags, Tags and Labels

2010-02-07T21:42:00.005+09:00

Published by CollinsDesign, this hefty, 384-page tome is chockful of branding solutions. Here's a preview of 3 of the 8 spreads of our work from each section...

"Safe" hands by the WHO

2009-10-25T18:52:00.010+09:00

A nice 12-step instruction chart has been issued by the World Health Organization on how to make your hands 'safe' from the swine flu.

It looks straightforward enough.
Until you read it...

I especially like step 3.

Full details below.

Snapshot Berlin

2009-06-17T01:42:00.006+09:00

Berlin: Shepard Fairey @ Merry Karnowsky Gallery

2009-06-15T23:40:00.011+09:00

Caught the opening reception for graphic designer / DJ / street artist / Obey Giant guy Shepard Fairey's Print Retrospective 1997-2009 at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery on our last night in Berlin.

Celebrated as a Person of the Year in 2008 by GQ Magazine, Fairey's HOPE poster in support of Obama's run for President became a part of the US National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection in January.

Worth visiting. Till July 11.

Germany: it's all about the sausage

2009-06-14T14:57:00.027+09:00

Spiekeroog.
East Frisian island off the North coast of Germany.
Population 825.
Ferry access twice daily.
One hair salon.
Two ATMs.
One grocery store.
FORTY-FOUR kinds of sausage on shelf.

There was also an in-house butcher.

Who would expect the demand to be so fierce?
The wall of sausage was so strikingly iconic and yet so unexpected, I had to document it...

HK: art installation or public service announcement?

2009-06-10T22:00:00.002+09:00

Snapped at Hong Kong International Airport:
A water fountain so smartly wrapped, it looks like an installation.
In fact, the tailored sleeve is there to prevent the unwitting spread of swine flu. Serve and protect with style!

Hong Kong International Art Fair 09

2009-05-21T00:27:00.013+09:00

The HK International Art Fair was on last weekend. Definitely time well spent. Here are a few mobile snaps...

Among the featured artists: Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst, Julian Opie, Keiichi Tanaami, Kusama Yayoi, and one of my new faves - Korean artist Lee Jae Hyo, whose signature works are massive sculptures of wood and stainless bolts.

A true icon of the digital age, Julian Opie's lenticular, pixelboard and "moving pictures" garnered more than a few double-takes.

Anish Kapoor's Hex Hex (2008, stainless steel, 205 x 230.5 x 45 cm) - a mirrored concave of hexagons with the effect of an towering inverted fly's eye.

Nisha magazine (Israel)

2009-05-03T05:44:00.002+09:00

Last August, a request for press photos came from Nisha, "Israel's leading home interior and product design magazine." They were after lighting and furniture for an article featuring products from Japan.

The relevant shots went out, but the promised mag never materialized...

If anyone out there can communicate in Hebrew (even a little bit), please contact me. I'd love some help! :)

Coming soon... Stuffz: Design on Material

2009-05-03T04:51:00.003+09:00

Another title in the pipeline, Stuffz: Design on Material (2009, BigBrosWorkshop), is due to hit the shops (online and on-shelf) any day now. To pre-order, check Gingko Press.

Simply Material

2009-05-03T01:51:00.004+09:00

Uni lights make a happy appearance in Simply Material (2008) - the first book in the "Simply..." series by enthusiastic art and design addicts / publishers Victionary.

Cutting Edge Patterns and Textures

2009-05-03T00:59:00.000+09:00

Some of our pattern designs have been published in the punchy resource of 300+ pages, Cutting Edge Patterns and Textures, (2008, MaoMao Publications / Rockport / PageOne)

[below: cover and spreads from the PageOne edition]

Rip van ...

2009-05-03T00:47:00.000+09:00

Long hibernation since the last post, though we've hardly been snoozing in the humidity of HK's sub-tropical climes.

Coming up: a few peeks at some of the things that have been percolating in the interim...

Farewell: Open For Design

2007-11-22T21:09:00.000+09:00

The past few months have been unbelievably busy with big changes, and getting settled in HK. More on that to come.

But first, Open for Design is coming to a close, with final posts up at the end of October. The link will be up till November 30th, then it's officially farewell. Check it out while you still can!

Following is a summary of my posts since the last overview.

June: Material
> You Can Take It with You - a look at paper funereal offerings in the 21st century
> Money Money Money - the evolution of money from material to virtual wealth
> Fantastic Plastic? - anti-plastic bag initiatives and having another think about whether plastic is friend or foe.
> Water, Water Everywhere - water as muse in all states of matter

July: Motion
> Call Me - mobile phones: master or servant?
> It moves, but does it move you? - tunnel ads
> Overcoming Obstacles - Australian parkour team "Trace Elements" visit Hong Kong
> Spacesuits Optional - a.k.a the 250,000-mile diet - feasting on the harvest from seeds which have been blasted into outerspace

August: Desire
> You can't always get what you want - the perfect fairy tale wedding at Tokyo's St. Grace Cathedral
> Mies remixed - being content with less
> She got bling - from hooker to looker: Barbie's ascent to stardom
> The Life List - does it work? (one case where it did)

September: Flow
> Motion capture: the mastery of NY-based French artist WK Interact
> Moving masses: managing pedestrian traffic in retail
> Good vibrations: feng shui and balancing energy for health and wealth
> Moon Festival: Mid-Autumn Festival moon cakes and 3,000 years of tradition

October: Connection
> Paper Scissors Rock: getting inspired in graphic design, fashion & architecture
> Geek Love: drawing obsessions with music, fashion, art and design together via collectable toys
> IZAt: a stylish temporary shelter by Tokolo Asao & Imakita Hitoshi
> Not-so-secret liaisons: the PostSecret phenomena

OFD update: Sweden Rising

2007-06-12T08:53:00.000+09:00

Open for Design is motoring forward, and for this month’s theme of “material,” I’ve contributed a feature story - “Sweden Rising” - about Swedish design collaborative Front’s portfolio based on material that isn’t. Read it here. (above: Front’s Sketch Furniture)

Here’s a quick overview of my posts from the past few weeks...

April: Provocation

> Dot Dot Dot - Yayoi Kusama’s obsessions and terrifyingly gutsy moves (above: Kusama Yayoi, Infinity Mirror Room - Phalli’s Field, 1965)
> Fug This - Japanese socks and miscellaneous foot coverings. Fab or fug? (below: selection of footwear from a Harajuku sock shop)

May: Light

> Eyes Wide - James Turrell and Tadao Ando at Benesse Art Site Naoshima (above: Turrell’s Open Sky at the ChiChu Art Museum)
> Who’s Lovin’ It? - new McLighting at the local burger joint
> Sunshine on a Cloudy Day and Vice Versa - SAD, sun seekers and fleeters
> What a Little Moonlight Can Do - lunar inspiration (below: Verner Panton’s Moon Lamp, 1960)

June: Material

> Tokyo Fiber 07 / Senseware - art meets technology in the future of Japanese textiles (above: honeycomb mesh)
> It’s Not Wood - green bamboo and its alter-ego, “Black Diamond” (below: bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong)

Resurfacing...

2007-06-12T02:25:00.000+09:00

It’s been a while since the last post - we’re in Hong Kong now!

OOITO online update - English link

2007-04-25T17:55:00.000+09:00

Update on shopping for OOITO clothing online: the number of pieces carried by Planet Sports has increased to 5 t-shirts, 7 jackets and 2 courier bags. (There's a pull-down menu on the right with language options.)

OOITO online

2007-04-15T11:53:00.000+09:00

OOITO is now available online from Planet Sports, starting with a few pieces.

OFD: the Great Sasuke and friends...

2007-04-15T11:00:00.000+09:00

Posted at Open For Design, a quick overview of the most famous, freakish and flashy candidates in Japan's gubernatorial elections last Sunday - i.e. Kisho Kurokawa, Koichi Toyama, Dr. NakaMats, and the Great Sasuke (Masanori Murakawa).

Open for Design update

2007-04-06T14:30:00.000+09:00

It's been a while since I've posted about the weekly Open for Design blog, which has continued with the monthly themes listed below.

January: Imperfection
> Luck of the draw - New Year's in Japan and the sacred lottery "omikuji"
> Imperfect by design - my first flat in Tokyo and Swedish design team Front
> Imperfect match - the Chanel & Bearbrick windows in Ginza
> Perfectly imperfect - graffiti at the streetwear shows
> Beauty & the Bead - exhibition at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam

February: Inspiration
> Inspiration Rx - where does inspiration come from?
> Play - Copenhagen's Experimentarium
> Pecha Kucha - technicolour cerebral shake-up
> Hardwired - is there a little bit of "Rain Man" in everyone?

March: Line
> An absurd little bird - my love of cuckoo clocks
> Traditional Japanese Joinery 101
> Staying in the Game - hairlines and retirement in sumo
> La Linea - saluting Osvaldo Cavandoli

...and now April deals with provocation. My post this week, "Hey, that's no way to say good-bye," was spurred on by Keith Richards' chatter about snorting his dad's ashes.

Download this: Rezidents for the PSP /hanami ’07

2007-03-25T15:45:00.000+09:00

Just in time for spring... new Rezidents wallpaper for the PSP. In three colours - pink, blue and grey. Collect them all!

p.s. Get the first one here.

Masked

2007-03-20T17:46:00.000+09:00

New fellows in the studio! The puzzle is called "shokka-mania" and includes 21 nacho libres in black that can be grouped in a number of different formations ...

Mein kleines Wetterhäuschen

2007-03-07T22:30:00.001+09:00

My first encounter with wetterhäuschen was around Christmas in an upscale Japanese toy shop, and I was charmed by the jaunty miniature lederhosen- and dirndl-bedecked man and woman in their woodsy cabin. Mounted on a weight and suspended by a single strand of horse hair, the pair glide slowly in and out of the house as the hair twists or untwists in response to fluctuations in humidity. The transparency of the mechanism added to its appeal but I balked at the import price.

Happy to find a Heidelberg shop selling wetterhäuschen and cuckoo clocks, I decided on this combination hygrometer and old school wind-up pendulum clock. Now it sits above my desk, tick-tocking away…

Souvenir kitsch, but it makes me smile.

Picnic partner

2007-03-07T22:24:00.000+09:00

Yesterday's warmer weather brought us to the park for a little birthday picnic, and we were joined by this beautiful egret who rooted through the rushes for its own lunch.

Magenta

2007-03-06T17:36:00.000+09:00

"A plush texture and delicate, creamy flavors, make this Champagne hard to resist. It has bright, light notes of lemon, apple, toast and vanilla and a pillow-soft mouthfeel. More subtleties emerge on the fruit-filled, long finish. Very exotic and rich, showing a classic, complex style. Another AWM discovery and exclusive, this small production house comes through our Charles de Cazanove connection in Epernay. The Lombarda family makes this classically styled Champagne (30% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier) in a fruit-driven, delicately toasty style. Along with a nice mélange of ripe citrus, mineral and red berry notes, this well-balanced, bright and intensely flavored wine ends with richness." [Asheville Wine Market] Happy birthday Huschang!

Spring

2007-03-06T16:00:00.000+09:00

Back in Tokyo's milder weather, looking forward to hanami. In the shops, strawberry candy packaged in cherry blossom motifs.

Base station Heidelberg

2007-03-05T01:40:00.002+09:00

Spent a few hours in Heidelberg, a peaceful respite from the hub-bub of the last few weeks.

Signage on Philosophenweg

Vast woods filled with birdsong and wind

Engraving of Heidelberg castle & gardens

Early cherry blossoms on a gloomy day

Pecha Kucha Prague, vol. 1

2007-02-21T18:00:00.000+09:00

Pecha Kucha Night in Prague began with a bang!

Jana Kostelecka, event producer, introducing Pecha Kucha.

As surprise guests from Tokyo who were not on the scheduled programme, we were up first. Fellow presenter Czech graffiti artist Hunza (aka Jan Kalab) who kindly snapped these three pix of us, confided that everyone was a bit nervous to get up there, and was relieved and happy not to be first.

Adam Gebrian and Lukas Brom

Barbora Klimova

Federico Diaz

Hunza

Kino Aero post-Pecha Kucha, dispersing to catch the tram home.

Mega mixer

2007-02-20T23:51:00.000+09:00

At the Roxy, one of Prague's oldest clubs, which is beneath NoD, a nice gallery/bar/wireless internet cafe.

PechaKucha Prague

2007-02-15T01:13:00.000+09:00

We're in Prague again, and will be presenting at the first PechaKucha Night in Prague, on February 20 (next Tuesday) at Kino Aero. If you're in town, drop by and say hello!

NOTE: Check out the PKN Prague link, with a quote from Jean Snow in Czech!

Spreading rumours

2007-02-10T18:00:00.000+09:00

Nice posters for the Vega Nightclub.

Danish treats

2007-02-10T17:55:00.000+09:00

Donuts at the 7-11...
and more at the grocery store.

Copenhagen skyline

2007-02-10T17:30:00.000+09:00

Friday at dusk.

Travelling south

2007-02-10T17:10:00.000+09:00

Blomsterautomat - flower vending machine at the Malmo train station.

Stockholm Tunnelbana

2007-02-10T17:00:00.000+09:00

A few snapshots from the Stockholm Tunnelbana (subway system).
A couple more sweet Swedes... We spent an afternoon chatting with
Jesper Larsson (who did the Nudie Cafe with Jean Snow for Swedish Style in Tokyo) and his friend Jonas, pictured here with Huschang.

schwarzschild

2007-02-10T16:50:00.000+09:00

Forgot to post this with the others from Good old Germany... This is a snap of some skateboards by Stefan and Karsten, friends and old colleagues of Huschang's from Wiesbaden. Nice guys and nice work! Check out their website at schwarzschild.de

Swedish sweets

2007-02-08T06:19:00.000+09:00

Stormy Stockholm

2007-02-07T10:00:00.000+09:00

In Stockholm, happy for the snow in this fresh, crisp landscape. Makes me nostalgic for winter in Canada...

Good old Germany

2007-02-07T05:55:00.001+09:00

Traditional lunch at the Gasthof Weisses Lamm in Rosstal (16km west of Nuernberg) where time seems to stand still.

A couple of days later, we headed to a balmy blue-skied Wiesbaden, and seemed to leave winter behind.

Snowy Prague

2007-01-27T07:53:00.000+09:00

In Prague for a couple of days, where a storm blew in the night before we arrived. It's all very picturesque, and winter-wonderland-like. Here are a couple of snapshots taken from the Stefanikuv Bridge on a late afternoon stroll.

More from the BBB

2007-01-27T06:53:00.000+09:00

Here are a few shots not shown on the OOITO blog before...

during...

and after BBB, packing up to go to the Bright.

BBB & Bright Skateboarding Tradeshows

2007-01-27T03:42:00.000+09:00

I've posted some snapshots from Bread & Butter Barcelona and the Bright Skateboarding Tradeshow at the OOITO blog.

Up & away...

2007-01-19T08:02:00.000+09:00

It's been hectic - nearly 3 weeks since the last post. We've been on the move - in Amsterdam for a few days last week, then with OOITO to Barcelona for the Bread & Butter Tradeshow for Selected Brands this week, and off to Frankfurt's Bright Skateboarding Tradeshow this weekend. Pictures to come.

OOITO blog

2006-12-31T11:44:00.000+09:00

During the hiatus from Pigeon Express, we've been preparing the new OOITO blog with background info and updates, and plans for art and music news. Have a look, and Happy New Year!

Season’s greetings

2006-12-22T00:20:00.000+09:00

A lot of lucky people are off for the next 10 days...
Happy holidays to you all!

ChowPourian Studio

2006-12-21T09:50:00.000+09:00

Huschang and I have joined forces to become ChowPourian Studio, as reflected in the intro info, left. While the new site is under construction, updates will be posted here.

Unintentional chindogu

2006-12-21T09:08:00.000+09:00

New post at OFD. Sometimes simple is best.

Exhibition news & views

2006-12-17T16:21:00.000+09:00

Due to the seasonal crunch, the OOITO/Rezidents exhibit will run until December 24. The show of personal work which was scheduled for this week has been postponed.

Mind over matter

2006-12-13T20:37:00.000+09:00

Last week at Open for Design, Futurefarmers posted an entry called Senseless about Crispin Jones' An Invisible Force. Their description brought me back to the BankArtLife reception in Yokohama almost exactly a year ago. Jones was showing a table alongside work by a number of other artists, all of which was kinetic and/or interactive and tactile. A constant queue of people were ready to be challenged by Painstation , the sadistically entertaining work by two German media artists, Volker Morawe and Tilman Reiff.

As with An Invisible Force, the point of Painstation is endurance against discomfort. Two players face off in a game of Pong, right hand on the controller, left hand on a sensor unit. Both players receive various distractions from the unit -- heat, whipping, electric shocks etc. As time goes on, the punishment intensifies. The first person to remove their hand from the sensor loses. The real game is who can withstand the most pain.

I lost every time. Despite the open wounds and blue welts some of the pros were sporting, with me the unit had not even escalated to the point of inflicting pain. Of course being a leftie put me at a disadvantage because the controller forced me to use my weak hand. But in truth the reason I lost was that the anticipation of the being touched by the whip made me flinch.

OOITO x th’ Rezidents

2006-12-07T17:05:00.000+09:00

Monday is the start of a two-part exhibition I'll be doing with Huschang Pourian. Part one is a joint show for OOITO and th’ Rezidents, on till December 17.

Part two will begin the following Monday (December 18) with more details to come later.

The venue is Café Pause, where I participated in Canadian Style earlier this year, curated by Jean Snow.

We'll be there on Friday from 7 to 10pm. Please drop by if you're in town!

Virtual Haptic-ness

2006-11-30T20:35:00.000+09:00

December marks the start of a new theme at Open For Design: touch. My first post on this topic talks about the strikingly tactile world of LocoRoco.

Fantastic plastic

2006-11-23T13:13:00.000+09:00

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, my post this week at Open For Design is up early. About me, gachapon, and how plastic has heart.

Designboom Mart report

2006-11-21T08:49:00.000+09:00

Designboom's photo report of the Mart at 100% Design Tokyo is online, with links for individual booths. Here's the link to mine.

Site update

2006-11-13T11:35:00.000+09:00

I wanted to make some functional adjustments to my website, and multi-maker Johan Rooms made it happen. Thanks Johan!

Open for Design

2006-11-09T21:49:00.000+09:00

In the hullabaloo of events the past few weeks, I neglected to mention the new online project I've joined as a weekly style blogger, updating on Thursdays (Fridays in Japan).

Open for Design launched on November 1 as a multidisciplinary dialogue about contemporary design in the form of a blog, sponsored by MSN and Infiniti. The format consists of monthly themes with feature stories and bi-weekly blog entries by practising artists or designers in four categories: style, living, art and tech. The inaugural theme is "Craft: The resurgence of the human hand in a mass-market world." Check it out.

A few views from the booth at 100% Design

2006-11-06T17:07:00.000+09:00

It was a crazy week - exhausting but fun - filled with interesting people and nice stuff. Thank you to designboom, 100% Design and everyone who dropped by. Special thanks to Yuki, Yuko and Huschang.

Jean Snow meets th’ rezidents (above).

Birgit Lohmann from designboom (above).

Addendum Three more, courtesy of Designboom.

Chatting with Tom Dixon.

Woman inspecting Rezident Ginger, perhaps trying to decide whether she should let him tote her stuff around or cut him up and make him into a toy.

100% Design Tokyo

2006-10-31T07:43:00.000+09:00

Today till Sunday at Jingu Gaien-Aoyama.
www.100percentdesign.jp

Here's the designboom crew yesterday during set-up: Massimo, Birgit, Andy, Anita and Dean.

Download this: Rezidents wallpaper for the PSP!

2006-10-27T17:17:00.000+09:00

Let Th’ Rezidents block your menu from the prying eyes of your fellow commuters... Download the PSP wallpaper below!

Rezidents mania!

2006-10-24T15:17:00.000+09:00

They’re multiplying! A peek behind the scenes...

25, 24, 23...

2006-10-23T17:46:00.000+09:00

After blogging about Th’ Rezidents t-shirts made as a limited edition for the designboom mart at 100% Design Tokyo, word came that I can’t sell them there.

So... 25 shirts are up for grabs.
3,000 yen each + 500 yen for shipping.

Available in men’s and women’s small and medium sizes in both colour combinations.
Printed in Japan on soft 100% cotton, 6.2 oz. t-shirts.
Payment via PayPal. (Also by bank remittance if in Japan.)

If you’d like one, please email me with “rezidents t-shirts” in the subject line and specify size and colour.

Get ’em while they last...

Unplugged

2006-10-19T02:48:00.000+09:00

I've been kind of off-line for the last few weeks: home for a wedding, laying down foundation for things to come, and doing a bit of gospel for ooito.

A few snaps from the trail...

Limited edition

2006-10-03T01:39:00.000+09:00

Rezidents t-shirts in two colour combinations will be available for sale at the designboom mart.

Th’ Rezidents @ 100% Design

2006-09-21T15:54:00.000+09:00

It's official. Th’ Rezidents will be at the designboom mart in the 100% Design Tokyo tent. Drop by, say hello, and bring home your very own Rezident!

NSCAD news

2006-09-21T08:51:00.000+09:00

Two things:
1/ Think
Editor Kristen Lipscombe from The Chronicle Herald in Halifax interviewed me (as a graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design) for their education supplement called Think, published earlier this month.
2/ NSCAD in Japan
There will be a travelling recruitment fair called Study in Canada for Canadian universities and colleges with stops in Sapporo (Oct 21), Osaka (Oct 22), Nagoya (Oct 28) and Tokyo (Oct 29).
NSCAD’s Design Chair Dr. Rudi Meyer will be making a presentation about the school, with a specific focus on the Design Division. Links in English and Japanese.

Th’ Rezidents evolve

2006-09-19T11:40:00.000+09:00

The concept behind the ‘surprise’ of Rezident It is to use different fabric, giving each “It” its own personality.

The above prototype was made with raw silk found inside an old obi. Obi is the name for the cummerband-like wrap that is worn with kimono. The silk lining gave the obi bulk and strength.

This one was made with the outer fabric of a vintage silk obi with metallic silver thread.

Here’s the first prototype for the series of mini soft toys, also made from obi lining silk: Rezident Jett, chomping for a fight...

Keep an eye out for them, more to come.

designboom

2006-09-17T16:42:00.000+09:00

A couple of days ago, I received an email from co-CEO and Editor-in-Chief Birgit Lohmann of designboom, inviting me to participate in their Tokyo mart during Tokyo Designers Week / 100% Design Tokyo.

Massive Change

2006-09-14T09:57:00.000+09:00

A couple of my photos are in the Massive Change exhibition, a project by Bruce Mau Design and the Institute without Boundaries.

It opens September 16th at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, its first US tour location, after three- and two-month runs at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2004 and the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2005.

“Massive Change. It’s not about the world of design... It’s about the design of the world.”

Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan article

2006-09-02T15:18:00.000+09:00

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ) publishes a bi-monthly newspaper called The Canadian. Communications editor Vivian Giang contacted me for an interview in the current issue (Aug/Sep 2006). Just received a copy by post today.

Rezident It > prototype 1

2006-09-01T10:00:00.000+09:00

You saw the trading cards and if you had downloaded them from the OOITO site, you would know their quirks... [Rezident 001: Jett is a world judo champion and her boyfriend's outta town / Rezident 002: Ginger can fix anything if you catch him in a good mood / Rezident 003: Mack smokes Popeye cigarettes, etc.] ...and perhaps you may have wondered what was up with Rezident 012: It is a surprise. Well, the answer to that is being revealed slowly in the form of a soft toy.

After being cursed with two malfunctioning machines, I got serious and sewed it all by hand. This is the first prototype. More to come.

New t-shirt series: 1

2006-08-21T13:14:00.000+09:00

The knight of thimbles

2006-08-19T06:38:00.001+09:00

Got this Japanese thimble yesterday. Super deluxe.

Reminds me of a knight’s armour. Or medieval torture device.

click to enlarge

What makes it deluxe:
* built-in fingernail
* airflow opening for no-sweat comfort
* grippy inside surface
* adjustable girth
(Note the Litte House logo quietly peeking out on the left)

Vintage ads

2006-08-15T22:46:00.000+09:00

The mosquitoes around me have been on a feeding frenzy.

Looking for a cure for insect bites, I remembered this photo-illustration I did as part of a series of 12 (as “Happy 2006/Greetings from Japan” gifts to friends back home). These are based on snapshots I have taken in Japan.

Unlike in Tokyo, where billboard space is at a premium, small towns seem to keep their advertising up much longer. The mosquito lotion ad (above) was taken in the middle of winter, in a town with one main street.

An ad for a “genki” drink, silkscreened on metal, rusting in a rather inconvenient place.

Would ad execs allow this in the city?
A rain pipe obscures this man’s trilby as well as the product he’s advertising.
Not to worry, we can still see the logo...

Sticker for Asahi draft, peeling off the side of a cart.

This man is obviously violating the rules of propriety. The pointing finger chastises his behaviour as ”BAD!” and warns that ”this is not a toilet.”
Snapped in a Tokyo subway station.

Note: This entry was inspired by the people at pingmag.

Collecting th’ rezidents/OOITO trading cards

2006-08-15T16:29:00.000+09:00

Thought I should add a bit more info about collecting th’ rezidents trading cards from ooito.jp.

As with the trading cards you get with bubble gum, you don’t know what you’ll get until you open the package. The characters arrive in random pairs.

Scroll over the characters in the top left corner of the screen.
Click on the speech bubbles to download the PDFs.
Reload the page to collect them all.

Note: OOITO website by Hiroaki Ito. For more of his work, visit make.co.nz

Looking for space @ 100% Design Tokyo

2006-08-12T14:50:00.000+09:00

One of the organizers at 100% Design Tokyo, Hiromi Arima, checked out my website and contacted me recently to tell me about the event. I went last year and would love to participate this year, but the exhibition fees are a bit high for me at this point as an independent designer. Now I’m trying to find a way to exhibit some furniture or lighting as part of a group show, or in a space off the main site (maybe in a café, shop or gallery).

If you have any suggestions or know a place which could be suitable, I would be happy to hear from you. Please email me.

Press

2006-08-12T14:30:00.000+09:00

Deco editor Angela Molfeta in Athens asked for high res images of my Uni lights and Hello Jello sofa for publication in a magazine supplement to Proto Thema. My first inquiry from Greece!

Design writer Trina Thawley featured Uni lights in ”The Goods” section of Tokyo Metropolis (July 14, 2006). http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/642/goods.asp

Writer/editor Takafumi Suzuki recommended me for the Creators’ Works section in AXIS Magazine (March/April 2006). http://www.axisinc.co.jp/English_f/etalkshop_f/120/120talk02.html

Design and pop culture writer (and fellow Canadian) Jean Snow introduced me to MocoLoco readers in February. http://mocoloco.com/tokyo/archives/002148.php

And back in 2004, editors/writers at ELLE DECO Japan and Design Reform included Uni lights in articles about TDB-CE and urban renewal in east end Tokyo.

Jurors awarded Uni lights an Honourable Mention for Concepts in
ID Magazine’s 50th Annual Design Review.

Writer/translator/web publisher Kazue Daikoku published a web review of my work at happano.org in 2003.

Thank you for your kind support!

The recent spike of interest in Uni lights makes me think of the social epidemics described in Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. I just read this book a few weeks ago, and his theories keep popping back into mind. Interesting and well-written.

Ready. Set. Sew.

2006-08-12T12:43:00.000+09:00

My sewing machine has arrived. Thanks to Yuko for making it happen!
th’ rezidents will soon take on a new form in 3D.

th’ rezidents for OOITO

2006-08-12T01:50:00.000+09:00

th’ rezidents are the residents of our alter-egos – a little glimpse of our secret and not-so-secret selves. Which one are you?

The first series of 13 were designed for the launch of a new streetwear brand, OOITO "functional urbanwear© from Japan." Featured on trading cards, stickers, hangtags, shopping bags and t-shirts.

Please visit www.ooito.jp to download the full set of trading cards and to find out more about OOITO.

Inside the nest

2006-08-03T00:37:00.000+09:00

Hello! I've decided to start this blog to offer a little peek of new work and happenings while my website (www.soniachowstudio.com) is under construction.
Stay tuned.