2009

Last year, we explored a new way of happiness, a “low-level stable society,” while looking ahead to the rapid economic slowdown and the worsening environmental problems that lie ahead. At that time, the situation surrounding us was changing at an unimaginable speed, and by the end of 2008, when we held the exhibition, various dark clouds were already gathering over our heads, brought about by the worsening economic situation. In light of the issues that emerged from the experience of last year's exhibition and the current situation that is becoming even more serious, the same members will hold another exhibition in October 2009. The news that we see every day is not a cheery one. The current situation is riddled with multiple problems, such as environmental destruction and young people living in poverty due to the recession. As designers, they may feel stuck in their own society and in their own selves. Mr. Nakajima has come to the conclusion that there is no single answer to turn things around, and that only the different perspectives of individual designers can break through, transform, and initialize the situation. The title of the exhibition, “Geekeppa,” is a coined term for this exhibition, meaning to overturn or return to the beginning of the concept of so-called “Package,” which has been assigned various roles such as protection, sales promotion, and information transmission. It is a spell word for taking a step out of the blockage.” The exhibition asks the question of “the transformative power of package design,” a theme that can be said to be fundamental by the designers. The subjects taken up by each designer vary from dried bonito flakes to urns. The inverted designs will give us different perspectives. For the past year, the designers have been searching for answers through hands-on experience of farm work. Now it is time for the harvest.

［Designers]
　Naoko Akai (KOSÉ)
　Kiyoshi Ishida (underline graphic)
　Hiroyuki Ishiura (Suntory)
　Kazushige Oue (Kanome Design Office)
　Taishi Ono (POLA)
　Masahiko Kimura (GK Graphics)
　Kaori Kondo (Shiseido)
　Mayumi Kondo (GK Graphics)
　Yuki Sugiyama (Hakuhodo)
　Kenichi Tanaka (KOSÉ)
　Yuka Nagasaki (Shiseido)
　Sumiko Matsuda (Nakatsuka Advertising Office)
　Shigeru Yamazaki (KOSÉ)

［News in 2009]

　Barack Obama is inaugurated as U.S. President
　Michael Jackson passes away
　GM files for bankruptcy protection