art, somewhere in between New York and Tokyo

I just returned from a 2-week stint in Japan and wanted to jot down these thoughts while they were still fresh in my head. To be followed later this week or next will be a much more interesting “Goodies from Japan” post.

Technology
Stepping into an electronics store in Japan used to be like stepping into the future. These were the products that would line shelves of Best Buy in 2-3 years. This is no longer the case. Not only does Japan sell the same crap you see anywhere else in the world, innovators like Apple and Dyson have reversed this trend. It makes me wonder what is the next industry to begin losing ground? Film? Anime?

Foreigners
I notice more and more foreigners each time I go back, but this time I noticed foreigners working jobs that traditionally were always reserved for Japanese, such as store clerks and waiters/waitresses. I had never seen that before.

Peace Sign
Undoubtedly, the most significant observation is that the ubiquitous symbol of photography, the peeesu, or peace sign, is on the brink of a coup. The usurper that is threatening to knock it off of its longstanding thrown is none other than the Schwarzenegger thumbs up. According to reliable sources, the new sign is spreading at an alarming rate throughout the photos of young schoolgirls.

Designer Shun Kawakami has put his signature touch on the 5th album of Japanese house-duo Studio Apartment.

In case you were wondering what the album sounds like, here is a sample.

Fashion designer Issey Miyake has a spanking new website designed by Shun Kawakami of Artless.

Case-Real Architects, headed by Koichi Futatsumata, unveiled a new bar they designed in Fukuoka. Dreieck Park, which is Triangular Park in German, gets its name from its strategic location on the top floor of a building, overlooking a lone park situated in the middle of a busy shopping district. The bar is characterized by an incredibly sexy table that swells out into the center of the bar.

The pendant lights were designed to sit above a specified horizon so as to not obstruct views of the central window. The armchairs were also specifically designed for long drinks (and maybe even some pour-your-heart-out-moments with the bartender. The cool thing about the table is, depending on where you sit, you can either feel very intimate or very distanced from the bartender.)

Related:

• Hammock by Koichi Futatsumata

the catchiest jingle making the rounds on Japanese television this summer is a 15-second spot featuring grown men rejoicing about Delicare M’s, a soothing cream that keeps their genitals from becoming itchy during the summer.

♪ In the summer time our genitals become itchy (itchy)
When they become itchy, use Delicare M’s
[humming humming] it works!
don’t scratch them, use Delicare M’s♪

translation by Spoon & Tamago

Two nights ago I was fortunate enough to attend iida’s new product release party. iida has been building up it’s reputation for merging cell phone technology with avant-garde art by pairing up with artists and designers. Most notably, their collaboration with Yayoi Kusama last year was hugely successful and got them a lot of press coverage.

And if you are a Spoon & Tamago reader, you will certainly recognize some of the artists whom iida has decided to collaborate with this year.

Botanica by Makoto Azuma – We were very excited to see the Azuma collaboration as we have been following him since very early in his career.

PixCell by Kohei Nawa – The Nawa collaboration was inspired by the sculptors work he did for Hermes last year.

Light Pool by Hironao Tsuboi – This is really their only functional release – the previous 2 were art editions that may only be released in limited quantity. With the help of filmmaker and musician Masakatsu Takagi, the geometric windows are brought to life with light and sound.

Accessories – We have always been big fans of the accessories. This year iida has come out with a pretty cord organizer and a phone strap, modeled after a car, that not only keeps you phone in place while in your bag but also diminishes the unsuspectingly loud vibrating noise.

It’s already started. As my family and I prepare for our trip to Japan, things have slowed down here on Spoon & Tamago. And you should expect things to grind to a halt towards the end of this week. But we will return at the end of the month with tons of new stories (and maybe even some breaking new designs) from Japan so please stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy your summer and stay cool!

Above: Verbal | click images to enlarge

Photographer Todd Selby has recently uploaded shots he did in Tokyo for the Fall 2010 Louis Vuitton Men’s Collection. Subjects include rapper Vocal (of M-flo), robot designer Tatsuya Matsui and Interior Designer Yasumichi Morita. More images here.

Above: Tatsuya Matsui

Above: Yasumichi Morita

Related:

• Roku Nana (六七) by Yasumichi Morita

Toshimitsu Kuno of tele-design and Tomoro Aida of Aida Atelier have recently completed Periscope House in a dense residential neighborhood of Zushi, Kanagawa.

In order to maximize living conditions while keeping in mind site-specific constraints, the architects proposed a plan in which 3 rooms would poke their heads out above the level of homes like a periscope on a submarine. Very cute idea! I always wanted to live in a submarine.

Photography: Tatsuya Noaki

Via Jutaku Tokushu (7/2010 issue)

click images to enlarge

Ken Minata and Ie Onda of Studio Archi Farm recently completed their latest project; a residential home on an agricultural farm. Since their founding in 2006, the architects have completed several projects but Sprout is arguably the cornerstone of their portfolio, combining actual practice with their philosophy, which states that architecture – much like farming – is intended to form and cultivate the bond between people and land.

The primary task facing the architects was how to resolve the dilemma of merging environmental lushness with the realities of modern-day farming, which required gravel paths and many (8 to be exact) large industrial vehicles to be parked outside the house.

Their first solution was to visually separate the vehicles from the living environment by creating a primary lawn on top of the roof that housed the vehicles. The living space was then designed around this space.

Their second solution was to restore the relationship with nature by integrating well water into the design. Well water gets pumped up to the roof, acting as a cooling mechanism, as well as a sprinkler for the turf on the roof. Lovely!