The Japanese graphic designer Kenjiro Sano’s office is called Mr. Design. And it’s anything but a misnomer. After graduating from ad agency Hakuhodo, Sano worked on a diverse range of campaigns for major companies like Toyota and Suntory. He’s also created adorable mascots for any number of brands and even worked with Japan’s beloved Doraemon. One of my favorite series are the ads he created for Tama Art University.
His creative career is now the subject of a retrospective. And headlining the show is “HOKUSAI_LINE,” a new series of prints that are inspired by the legendary Ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai but created in a cubist, typographical style.
Sano’s cubist, typographical renditions are juxtaposed with the original characters created by Hokusai 150 years ago
The retrospective, taking place at the Creation Gallery G8 in Ginza, will feature a selection of Sano’s past work, showcasing the depth and reach that entitles him to a name like Mr. Design. He’s even created a line of in-house products, some of which we sell in our shop.
The show will be on view from March 3 – April 2, 2015.
Here are some photos of the actual exhibition:
