I don’t know about you but I’ve always wanted to go to Japan. While my bank balance doesn’t allow me to visit anytime soon, the next best thing is to pore over the beautiful objects and artefacts published in Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875-1975, a design book by designer, educator, critic and historian Ian Lynam.
There is also an exhibition of the same name, which is on 11-26 July in Tokyo.
The book sees Ian explore graphic design in Japan from its very beginnings in 1875 to the pre-digital design era of 1975 through a series of illustrations and easy to read essays.
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(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
(Image credit: Set Margins)
On display at the exhibition are various pieces that are over 100 years old, including a kimono with highly decorative Art Deco surface designs to Japan’s first commercial art publications.
There are also the design guidelines for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, something which I know many of our readers will love, as well as a fascinating look at some of Japan’s first radical feminist and first mass-distributed LGBTQIA+ publications.
Something else I’m sure our readers will be interested in are giant multi-colour posters by some of Japan’s most well-known graphic designers, such as Yokoo Tadanori plus a number of posters from unknown designers.
(Image credit: Set Margins)
In fact, as many designers don’t sign their work, there are a number of mystery entries in the exhibition, adding a extra level of intrigue.
(Image credit: Set Margins)
“I am excited to share this wide-ranging selection of designed artefacts from Japanese history – many are objects which are storied, while others are plucked from daily life and never received notice in the design press,” says Ian. “Together, they help to explain a more robust and inclusive history of Japanese graphic design.”
(Image credit: Set Margins)
Ian became fascinated with Japanese graphic design when he moved to Japan 20 years ago.
(Image credit: Set Margins)
He also realised that there was no existing book exploring Japanese graphic design comprehensively, neither in Japanese nor any other language and became compelled to create his own. The result is a beautiful object and one I’d love to spend a few hours reading and looking at, before planning my own trip to Japan of course.
Buy Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875-1975 on Amazon
