The Designscape of Contemporary Japan

The Japan Foundation presents the World premiere of the exhibition Japanese Design Today 100, which opens at UCLA’s Department of Architecture & Urban Design at Perloff Hall starting on June 27.

This exhibition showcases the Designscape of contemporary Japan through 100 objects of Japanese design: 89 objects created since 2010 that are well known in Japan, as well as 11 objects that represent the origin of Japanese post-war modern product design. These 100 product designs are displayed in 10 categories: Classic Japanese Design, Furniture & Housewares, Tableware & Cookware, Apparel & Accessories, Children, Stationery, Hobbies, Healthcare, Disaster Relief, and Transportation.

Designscape showcases the exceptional design qualities of popular designs as well as more cutting-edge objects known as high design. The exhibition features not only the hard-edge look or clean lines typical of modern design but also explores the supple forms found in traditional crafts. These differences reflect Japanese designers’ current interest in the utilitarian objects of day-to-day life in Japan: turning functional objects into works of art that integrate high aesthetic design with cutting edge technologies while embodying Japanese lifestyle, history, culture, and tradition.

This exhibition can be approached as a bird’s-eye view recent history of Japanese design or it can be enjoyed in a more casual manner as if taking a virtual trip to Japan. It gives viewers a good idea of many aspects of contemporary Japanese culture.

Since 2004, the previous version of this exhibition has traveled around the world fascinating viewers in many countries including Egypt, India, and Russia. The Japan Foundation has updated and reorganized the entire exhibition to reflect the most innovative and well-made objects in the world created by Japanese designers over the past 10 years since the exhibition was originally conceived. Los Angeles is the first port stop for Designscape as it embarks on another ten year journey around the world.

Japanese Design Today 100
Exhibition
Friday, June 27 to Saturday, July 19, 2014
*On June 27, the exhibition will be open only from 7:30pm-9:30pm
in conjunction with the Opening Reception

Exhibition Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 12:00pm-5:00pm
(June 28 - July 19)
*Closed on Sundays and Mondays, Independence Day

Admission Free

Exhibition Venue
UCLA Architecture & Urban Design
Perloff Hall
Decafe, Room 1302
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Perloff Hall is located on the UCLA Campus.

Opening Reception for the exhibition
Date Friday, June 27

Time 7:30pm

Location
UCLA Architecture & Urban Design
Perloff Hall, Decafe
*Light refreshments will be served.

Directions & Parking
The campus map is available at www.maps.ucla.edu/campus/
Parking is available in Lot 3 for $12, purchase parking at the Westholme Ave. and Hilgard Ave. kiosk.
Alternative parking is available at Self-Service Parking Pay Stations
For More Information available at The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles website
www.jflalc.org

About The Japan Foundation
The Japan Foundation (JF) is a cultural exchange institution that promotes international awareness and mutual understanding between Japan and people throughout the world. JF provides a wide range of programs centered on three pillars of activity: Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese Language Education, and Japanese Studies and International Exchange. These activities include grant programs, the promotion of person-to-person exchange, support for educational programs, and assistance to media-related projects such as publications, translations, and film and video productions.

These activities are non-profit and are financed by Japanese government endowment and annual subsidies, investment revenue, and donations from the private sector. The Foundation maintains 22 overseas offices in 21 countries, including 2 offices in the United States: New York and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles office is currently located in the Miracle Mile district on Wilshire Boulevard next to Museum Row featuring the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts.

Published: Friday, June 13, 2014