Tokujin Yoshioka
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese artist and designer.
Many of his works are part of the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art
(MoMA) and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, Centre Georges Pompidou
in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Vitra Design Museum in Germany. In 2007, Yoshioka was selected by the Japanese edition of Newsweek
as one of the "100 most respected Japanese by the world."
in 1967. After graduating from Kuwasawa Design School in 1986, he worked under Shiro Kuramata
and Issey Miyake
before becoming a freelance designer in 1992.
In 2000 he established his own office, Tokujin Yoshioka Design.
It is a renovated 150-year-old rice warehouse, which was moved to its current place from its original location in Shimane Prefecture
.
, including his work for the Swarovski flagship in Ginza
.
In the line of space designs, Yoshioka has been producing the boutique designs for Issey Miyake for more than 20 years, and have provided space designs for Toyota, Hermes
, Lexus
, Peugeot
, NTT
, BMW
, and for cosmetic brands as RMK and SUQQU, which also involved works for their product package designs.
He has also done a number of collaborations with Italian furniture manufactures including Cassina , Driade , Kartell , and Moroso. Some of his furniture works are presented at Salone del Mobile
.
Other collaborative works in the past include the Yamagiwa lighting "Tofu", the mobile phones design produced for the au design project "Media Skin", the iida "X-Ray", the chandeliers of the Swarovski Crystal Palace, the stool "Eternal", and the fiber chair "Pane Chair".
Since 2002, Yoshioka has been working on optical glass projects including "Water block", "Chair that disappears in the rain", and the world biggest optical glass table "Waterfall". He has also presented several space installations, including those at the Salone del Mobile for Lexus, Swarovski and Moroso.
In 2008, he directed the exhibition "Second Nature" held at 21_21DESIGN SIGHT, Tokyo, where he presented "Venus - Natural crystal chair, " a work based on his theory of applying natural laws into his design, and the installation "Clouds - Installation." The following year in 2009, he directed Cartier's special exhibition "Story of..." - Memories of Cartier Creations, where he exhibited the perfume bottle "Moon Fragment" as a work representing the future of Cartier. In 2010, the exhibition "Tokujin Yoshioka Spectrum" was shown in Korea. This included the partially completed "Rainbow Church" installation, a 9 metre high stained glass consisting of 500 crystal prisms. The "Sensing Nature" exhibition the same year at the Mori Art Museum included the 15 metre-wide dynamic installation "Snow".
Many of his works are part of the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
(MoMA) and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Vitra Design Museum in Germany. In 2007, Yoshioka was selected by the Japanese edition of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as one of the "100 most respected Japanese by the world."
Biography
Yoshioka was born in Saga PrefectureSaga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
in 1967. After graduating from Kuwasawa Design School in 1986, he worked under Shiro Kuramata
Shiro Kuramata
Shiro Kuramata is one of Japan's most important designers of the 20th century. Kuramata was mainly known for his use of industrial materials such as wire steel mesh and lucite to create architectural interiors and furniture...
and Issey Miyake
Issey Miyake
is a Japanese fashion designer. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances.-Life and career:Miyake was born 22 April 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan. As a seven year-old, he witnessed and survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He studied...
before becoming a freelance designer in 1992.
In 2000 he established his own office, Tokujin Yoshioka Design.
Office
The office is located in Daikanyamachō, Shibuya, Tokyo.It is a renovated 150-year-old rice warehouse, which was moved to its current place from its original location in Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
.
Works
Yoshioka's recent notable work would be the store design concepts for SwarovskiSwarovski
Swarovski is the brand name for a range of precisely-cut crystal and related luxury products produced by Swarovski AG of Wattens, Austria...
, including his work for the Swarovski flagship in Ginza
Ginza
is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
.
In the line of space designs, Yoshioka has been producing the boutique designs for Issey Miyake for more than 20 years, and have provided space designs for Toyota, Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
, Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
, Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
, NTT
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
, commonly known as NTT, is a Japanese telecommunications company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Ranked the 31st in Fortune Global 500, NTT is the largest telecommunications company in Asia, and the second-largest in the world in terms of revenue....
, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, and for cosmetic brands as RMK and SUQQU, which also involved works for their product package designs.
He has also done a number of collaborations with Italian furniture manufactures including Cassina , Driade , Kartell , and Moroso. Some of his furniture works are presented at Salone del Mobile
Salone del Mobile
The Milan Furniture Fair is a furniture fair held annually in Milan. It is the largest trade fair of its kind in the world. The show showcases the latest in furniture and design from countries around the world....
.
Other collaborative works in the past include the Yamagiwa lighting "Tofu", the mobile phones design produced for the au design project "Media Skin", the iida "X-Ray", the chandeliers of the Swarovski Crystal Palace, the stool "Eternal", and the fiber chair "Pane Chair".
Since 2002, Yoshioka has been working on optical glass projects including "Water block", "Chair that disappears in the rain", and the world biggest optical glass table "Waterfall". He has also presented several space installations, including those at the Salone del Mobile for Lexus, Swarovski and Moroso.
In 2008, he directed the exhibition "Second Nature" held at 21_21DESIGN SIGHT, Tokyo, where he presented "Venus - Natural crystal chair, " a work based on his theory of applying natural laws into his design, and the installation "Clouds - Installation." The following year in 2009, he directed Cartier's special exhibition "Story of..." - Memories of Cartier Creations, where he exhibited the perfume bottle "Moon Fragment" as a work representing the future of Cartier. In 2010, the exhibition "Tokujin Yoshioka Spectrum" was shown in Korea. This included the partially completed "Rainbow Church" installation, a 9 metre high stained glass consisting of 500 crystal prisms. The "Sensing Nature" exhibition the same year at the Mori Art Museum included the 15 metre-wide dynamic installation "Snow".
Awards
- Mainichi Design Award (2002)
- Bulgari Brilliant Dreams Award 2007
- Good Design Award Golden Award (2007)
- Design Miami / Designer of the Year 2007 (USA)
- Wallpaper Design Awards 2008/ Best furniture designer (UK) (2008)
- Design for Asia Award (DFA Award) / Grand Awards 2008 (Hong Kong)
- Elle Deco International Design Awards / Designer of the Year 2009 (Italy)
- Tokyo Designers WeekTokyo Designers WeekTokyo Designers Week is an annual design event that takes place at Meiji Jingu Gaien in central Tokyo, Japan. The event features product design, interior design and has expanded to include art and graphic design as well as short films.-Location:...
, Artist of the Year 2010
Collections
- Tokujin Design (Gap Publication) 2001
- Tokujin Yoshioka Design English/Japanese (Phaidon, UK) 2006
- Tokujin Yoshioka (Rizzoli, USA) 2010
Books
- Invisible Forms (Esquire Magazine Japan) 2009- The first book of Tokujin's design thory.
Japan
- Cover InterviewーTokujin Yoshioka "Axis" 93rd issue, September–October 2001 (Cover, Cover interview)
- Who is Tokujin Yoshioka? "pen" May 2009 (Cover, Whole magazine)
- Elle Decoe June 2009. (p. 128-130, 39, 143-149) - EDIDA Designer of the year Award
- Aera September 2010. (Cover, cover interview)
International
- "Tokujin Yoshioka" "intramuros"(France) April–May 2002 (Cover, p. 74-81)
- "Tokujin Yoshioka: The Illusionist" "Frame" (Netherland) March–April 2008 (p. 82-93)
- "The Invisible Bar" "DomusDomusIn ancient Rome, the domus was the type of house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. They could be found in almost all the major cities throughout the Roman territories...
" (Italy) March 2008 (Cover, p. 97-101) - "Alchemy and illusion" "Interni" (Italy) April 2008 (Cover, p. 116-121)
- "Ceding control to a world of random beauty" "International Herald TribuneInternational Herald TribuneThe International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
" Oct. 2008 - "Mother of invention: second nature by Tokujin" "DomusDomusIn ancient Rome, the domus was the type of house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. They could be found in almost all the major cities throughout the Roman territories...
" (Italy) Oct. 2008 (p. 16-23) - "Year in Ideas" "The New York Times Magazine" (USA) Dec. 2008 (p. 52) - The best idea represents the year
- "The 100 Most Creative People in Business" "Fast Company" (USA) June 2010 (p. 105) - The 100 Most Creative People in Business 2010" by an American economy magazine
- "Into the Light" "Frame" (Netherland) September–October 2010 (p. 154-159)
Television appearances
- "NHK Professionals" The 53rd air. (5 June 2007) NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
- "News Zero" (8 May 2009) Nippon TelevisionNippon Televisionis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
- "Jonetsu Tairiku" (20 June 2010) Mainichi Hoso TV
- "News 23X" (27 August 2010) TBSTokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....