art, somewhere in between New York and Tokyo

I am currently on a quest to replace all our silverware with wood because I have never liked metal in my mouth, or the way it sounds when rubbed up against ceramics.This CO ZEN urushi cutlery set for kids could work nicely for little Huey. Urushi, also known as Japanese lacquer ware, is made from the sap of a tree and has been used to make dishes and utensils since the Jomon period. The beautifully hand-crafted set instills a sense of tradition and significance in the child and ritualizes the act of sitting down to eat. I am all for teaching kids the importance of eating, and what you put in your mouth.

The CO ZEN set (18,000 yen) comes with a spoon, fork, knife, desert spoon and chopsticks. The lid also flips over to serve as a place mat. It reminds me a lot of the Fun Fam Table Manners set.

thanks to @skrtr for the tip

I have a column in Snow Magazine covering Bunzo Ogawa’s Absolute Arrows, a public restroom project in Hiroshima. Read it here!

Kobe Design University recently held their senior exhibition. Designer Masahiro Minami took a trip over and came back with pictures of some fantastic, high-quality work. So many young, talented designers! Here are some of my favorites.
(all images by Masahiro Minami. Click to enlarge)

This is actually the underlay for a bento box; a solution to decade-old problems like leakage and movement. Love the aesthetic!

A wooden bicycle complete with wooden gears. Only a student could come up with something so outrageous.

Rad oversized rings

I’m not quite sure what this is but I love the display.

This 3D cutout must have taken several endless nights.

Of particular interest to me was this futuristic digital camera. It’s a working model that was co-developed by the University. The way it works is you drape it over your neck and take photographs by creating a frame using your hands. Neat!

So if you are not following us and would like to, here we are!
Why now, you may ask… There are 2 reasons and they are dependent on each other. First of all, honestly, I didn’t think it would catch on. But the real reason came after I realized Twitter was here to stay. The other day I had an epiphany. I realized that if I didn’t embrace this technology it would be the first step towards becoming a parent who didn’t understand the technology that their kids use. And on top of all the responsibilities we have as parents, this is one more important one.

One final thought on what I would like my twitter account to be: I still don’t understand why bloggers tweet their blog posts…. It seems very repetitive. So I hope to diversify my tweets to cover some of the topics that don’t make it into my blog. Believe me.. there is plenty.

I wonder what little Huey would think if I replaced all his Tomica (トミカ) die-cast toy vehicles with these pieces of art by Japanese duo Paramodel? I am guessing he wouldn’t be too pleased but I would certainly get a kick out of it.

Each tommy sushi ($270) is an authentic piece of artwork. (Yes, it would be an expensive practical joke.) In the words of the artist, “Fundamental to our artwork is the incorporation of toys we used to play with, and the picturesque sceneries we imagined in childhood. We enjoy combining scraps such as broken pieces of wood or screws left in factories with daily necessities or the toys that we played with as kids.” If you want to learn more about Paramodel, allow me to point you in the direction of this article published back on ’07.

click images to enlarge

Here is another recent project by Atelier BNK. They just put the finishing touches on this impressive elementary school last month, just in time for the new school year, which starts in Spring. I love the use of materials in this school, notably the wooden railings. That stairway is also beautiful. I’m happy to see such a gorgeous facility be built but it’s also surprising. Last year Hokkaido closed 7 schools because of their low birth rate and dwindling population. They even put 4 of the schools up on an eBay-like auction! I guess it depends on what part of Hokkaido you are in.

Photos by Koji Sakai

click images to enlarge

Atelier BNK, a Hokkaido-based architectural firm celebrating its 40th year of business, recently completed Jorg House, a residential unit located in the northern snow country. The L-shaped home is built 5 stories high to allow maximum sunlight (when there is any) to enter. The roof, entryway and lookout are also designed to accommodate heavy snowfall.

Photos by Koji Sakai

We will be traveling to Baton Rouge tomorrow and spending the weekend there! It just happens to coincide with Mardi Gras but no, I will not be participating in any activity that you may or may not end up seeing on the Internet. Happy a nice weekend and Happy Valentines Day!!

(photo of Louisianna marshes by Greg Guirard, who I happen to be related to in a first-removed kind of way)

Ever have those days when you feel like everyone is a comedian? Well now everything can be a comedian. Husband-and-wife design duo Noto Fusai’s latest product are translucent wall decals (1,260 yen) that let everyday objects in your house get their 2 cents in. Just as an explanation kills the joke, a translation usually has a similar effect, but indulge me.

The stingy toilet paper holder says, “Only 30cm per person.”

The vent complains about “…Hyperventilating.”

Ironically, the more we clean it, the less we look at it. “Why don’t you look at me for once instead of the outdoors?”

Thumbtack 1: “I’m made from 18K gold.”
Thumbtack 2: “Really?? I mean….me to!”

Related:

• CanvasWorks by Noto Fusai
• Shikisai t-shirts by Noto Fusai

Easy-going Japanese design duo Yuruliku, comprised of Bananao and Kinue Oneda, get their pleasure from designing the smaller things in life. Their prime focus is on stationary but their awesome tote bags that I featured on this site back in ’08 have always been my favorite. Just announced last week, their latest design is grass-shaped post its that serve as page markers. The accumulation of  interest or curiosity creates a blossoming tuft of grass.

They are currently available only through yuruliku’s online shop. For 700 yen you get a total of 75 markers in 3 different sizes.