Package Koufukuron Shinya Nakajima
It was 2008 when Mr. Takashi Kanome suddenly shouted, “You guys, do an exhibition! It was 2008 when Mr. Takashi Kanome suddenly said to me, “You guys, do an exhibition! Since then, I have been working with everyone to create an exhibition, year after year, through trial and error.
Package Koufukuron” is not just an exhibition of works. What does “design” mean to us, to human beings, in our lives? What does it have to do with the happiness of mankind? I would like to look at our profession of “design” from this perspective. In order to do so, let's create an exhibition after looking at what is happening around us and what is going on in our society.
We will not stop “designing. It may be a sticky product design requested by the sales department. But we stubbornly try to embody “even a slightly better design” in it. Even when we are asked to “make a design that sells without being artistic,” we stubbornly try to embody “as good a design as possible. Even when they are told, “This is not the time for design! He will not stop “designing,” even when he is told, “This is not the time for designing! I think we should keep this stubbornness.
To be persistent in designing at a time like this. This is courage. But we know in our hearts, not in our heads, that “design” will surely make everyone happy and make us happy, so we will persistently continue to “design”. We are persistent because we truly believe that “design” is something that will brightly light up the future.
Excerpt from “Design is the Light of Courage” in Package Koufukuron 2020
1959 Born in Yame, Fukuoka, Japan, and raised in Osaka, Japan.
1982 Graduated from Musashino Art University, Department of Visual Communication Design.
1983 Debuted as a TV commercial director for National Ventilation Fan
1985 Married by the mediation of Mr. Takashi Kanome
1990 Received the Tokyo ADC Award for “Lloyd” for Fuji Television Network, Inc.
1992 Won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Advertising Festival for Nissin Foods Cup Noodle “hungry?
2003 ACC Grand Prix and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award for Suntory's “Burning Amino Formula
2006 Grand Prix at Tokyo ADC Awards for Suntory's “Iemon
2007 ADC Member Award for Shiseido's corporate commercial “Become a New Me
2008 - Won the Japan Record Award for Excellence for lyrics for Kazuyoshi Saito's “Ya Mujo
2008- Exhibition Director of “Package Koufukuron Theory
Currently: CM Director / Executive Vice President of Tohoku Shinsha Corporation, Visiting Professor and Board Member of Musashino Art University, Member of Tokyo Art Directors Club.
Being Creative Takashi Kanome
I would like package designers to feel creativity from somewhere. In this day and age, we are tasked with the mission of selling our products because we are in the packaging business, and it is difficult to express our creativity in a situation where good products do not necessarily sell. I don't mean to say that holding an exhibition is a good idea at all costs. Still, I would like them to have a clear direction for their creativity in some way.
People often say, “I am not an artist,” but if there is no art in design, it is not design. I believe that art must be a part of design. Therefore, I think that first you have to be an artist, and then you have to fight to find out what “design” is.
I wonder if everyone is really pursuing that point of contact. I wonder if they are fighting on the very edge of that point.
Of course, it is not enough just to sell well. What is it that makes a product sell well and is also a great design, and is everyone really looking for something on the edge? I have always wondered about this question. It is not enough to just get together and have a few drinks in a friendly group; we are in a battlefield, so we must fight each other. For that reason, I myself must fight first. I hope you will be serious enough to say, “Design without art is unacceptable.
If you keep saying things like that, the packaging industry will say, “We don't need you anymore. I think that's the kind of place I'm in. But I want you to pursue your art to the point where you can sell the work you put art into, rather than compromise on it. I want them to pursue their work to the point where they can say, “This is my work,” after going through pain and suffering. I want each and every one of you to really pursue it. As long as you are called a designer, that is what I want you to do.
I know it is not easy to do so, but I would like you to always keep this question in your mind as you work. I am 88 years old and will be gone soon. So these are my last words.
JPDA West Japan Maemuki vol.4 “What's the matter with 88 years old! From the lecture “Takashi Kaname's Akkanbe-ju” / February 6, 2015
1927 Born in Hokkaido, Japan
1950 Graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music), Oil Painting Department
1977 New York ADC Silver Prize
1981 Asahi Newspaper Award, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, “Wooden Box for Play”, Hokkaido, Japan
1989 Minister of International Trade and Industry Award, Japan Packaging Competition
1992 ADC Award
1992 Japan Package Design Award Exhibition, Gold and Silver Prizes
1992 GGG, solo exhibition by Takashi Kanome
1998 Published “Ka”, a collection of works by Takashi Kanome (Rikuyosha)
2013 Japan Package Design Achievement Award
2017 Motegi Hello Woods Forest, Gallery 5610 Kanome Exhibition
Passed away in September of the same year at the age of 90
Produced package exhibitions at Gallery 5610 from 2006 to 2017
