Ikko Tanaka was a Japanese graphic designer. Tanaka is widely recognized for his prolific body of interdisciplinary work, which includes graphic identity and visual matter for brands and corporations including Seibu Department Stores, Mazda, Issey Miyake, Hanae Mori, and Expo 85. He is credited with developing the foundational graphic identity for lifestyle brand Muji, emphasizing the “no brand” quality of their products through unadorned, charming line drawings paired with straightforward slogans. His use of bold, polychromatic geometries and his harnessing of the dynamic visual potential of typography are undergirded by a sensitivity towards traditional Japanese aesthetics. Though keenly sensitive to historical precedents and established conventions, Tanaka nevertheless maintained a degree of playfulness in his work, manipulating color, scale, and form to reconfigure familiar iconographies into fresh and accessible visual representations. Tanaka is also widely recognized for his posters designs for Noh productions and other performances and exhibitions staged in Japan and beyond. He was active in realms of typography, exhibition design, and book design as well, and his publication Japan Style was released in 1980 alongside the Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition of the same name. As a leading figure in postwar Japanese design, Tanaka is also credited with playing a role in the professionalization and expansion of the discipline.
Authors
Tanaka Ikko
田中一光
다른 사람들
-
Since his first solo exhibition Steel Sun in 2000, she has been working with contemporary artists, exhibition curators, and media sociologists to co-organize and research new artistic activities in a media-connected society, such as Art Practice through Hacking (2001) and Parasite-Tactical Media Networks (2004-2006). While organizing and executing these activities, he has also executed various projects such as Dramatic Practice (2010), Co-operative Escape (2010), Twinfix (2011), In My Sky at …
-
라슬로 모호이너지
20세기 디자인 교육의 가장 혁명적인 인물로, 바우하우스에서 교수로 재직하며 예술과 기술의 통합을 주도했다. 회화 중심의 교육에 사진, 영화, 타이포그래피 등 신매체를 도입하며 인간 지각의 확장을 탐구했다. “예술과 기술—새로운 통합(Kunst und Technik — eine neue Einheit)”이라는 구호 아래 바우하우스를 단순한 예술학교를 넘어 산업사회와 조화하는 디자인 교육기관으로 이끌었다. 1895년 오스트리아-헝가리 제국에서 태어났고, 제1차 세계대전 시기에 청년기를 보냈다. 전후 서구에서 일어난 격렬한 문화적 격동과 모더니즘 속에서 포토그램, 포토몽타주, 영화, 키네틱 조각 등을 활용해 새로운 시각 실험을 펼쳤다. 발터 그로피우스, 마르셀 브로이어 등 동시대 예술가와 활발하게 협업했으며, 알바르 알토, 요제프 알베르스, 헤르베르트 바이어 등 많은 예술가에게 영향을 미쳤다. 예술평론가 피터 셸달은 그를 “끊임없이 실험하는 작가”라고 불렀다. 1937년 발터 … -
Kim Su-jung
She studied visual design at the Universitat der Kunste Berlin and typography and book design at the Hochschule fur Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig. She runs the design and publishing studio Raffinerie Press and teaches typography and book design. -
Kim Jong-kyun
Kim Jong-kyun graduated from Seoul National University with an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design and earned his doctor’s degree in Design from the same institution. He currently serves as an Administrative Officer at the Korean Intellectual Property Office. He is the author of several books, including Design in Korea and Design Wars , and has co-authored many others. Kim has published numerous papers on the history of Korean design, branding, and design intellectual property rights, and … -
Muramatsu Shin
Born in 1954, he is an architectural historian who studies the history of Asian cities, architecture, and spaces, as well as modern Asian architecture and the preservation and revitalization of local communities. He is a professor at the Integrated Earth Environmental Studies Institute and at the Institute of Industrial Science of the University of Tokyo, and co-chair of the International Nakanaka Heritage Committee for Buildings to Pass On to the Next Generation. Since 2011, he has served as … -
Moon Ju-hwa
Film critic. Debuted through the 2024 Cine21 Film Criticism Award and began working as a critic. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Art, Culture, and Film Studies at Pusan National University, conducting research on the representation of history in contemporary cinema. Has worked with institutions such as the Art Sonje Center, Gwangju Biennale, Busan Biennale, and Busan International Film Festival, participating in numerous exhibitions and projects. -
ArchiWorkshop
We are Architects, who think, create, enjoy and share everyday Architecture. The title ‘ArchiWorkshop’ has two meanings. One is ‘workshop of artisans’, and the other is the meaning of ‘attacking and defending to each other through discussion’. From a result perspective of view, architecture is a visual work. But at the same time, its origin accompanies philosophy and rational thinking. For that reason, we discuss and converse as much as sketching and this … -
Park Hyo-shin
He majored in visual design at Hongik University College of Fine Arts. He studied graphic design at Rhode Island School of Design and received a Ph.D. in art from Sungkyunkwan University. He worked as a graphic designer at Ssangyong Group Public Relations Office and Samsung Electronics Overseas Headquarters, and was a professor at Hanyang University College of Design, Samsung Design Institute (SADI), and Samsung Design Research Institute (IDS). As of 2016, he is a professor of Information … -
Sosun Park
With a background in media, theater, and programming development, she uses technology as both material and inspiration for her creative work. As a developer and artist, she creates content that merges technology and art, sharing her work across various social media platforms. Furthermore, she maximizes the unique characteristics of technology and the web as mediums, designing interactive experiences that engage audiences and encourage their participation. -
Lee Won-sik
Lee Won-sik is a brand manager at POSCO E&C. He is currently working as a brand manager at POSCO E&C after working at Interbrand, the world’s largest brand consulting firm. He has been consulting on strategic development and utilization of design and brand for various companies such as Morgan Stanley, Samsung Tesco, and Amorepacific. He is a member of the project planning team for the knowledge service sector of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy’s Industrial Source … -
Jan Middendorp
Jan Middendorp is an author, researcher, and designer living in Berlin. He has edited and written books and articles about typography, design and the performing arts; designed printed matter for publishers and non-profit organizations; worked as a consultant and editor to the type world. -
Lee Hyun-song
A designer in the Brand Strategy Team at Hyundai Department Store, actively involved in infusing vitality into the brand through various activities such as brand positioning and campaigns across multiple media platforms. She is particularly interested in effectively communicating the brand’s direction to customers through design, exemplified by projects like the opening of The Hyundai Seoul.