ROOM 24　YOSHIE WATANABE / KIGI

Creative unit KIGI was established by Ryosuke Uehara and Yoshie Watanabe in 2012.Their activities range from art direction for companies and brands, graphic design, installation direction, product design, to participation in art projects participation.The duo explores alternative approaches of creation with ideas and expressions free of genre boundaries. One of their most important works is a flower vase named “hope forever blossoming” that stands up by itself after pouring water into it, which the duo designed around 90 different patterns.Furthermore, KIGI received a grand prize from the Tokyo Art Directors Club for their product brand KOKOF launched with artisans from Shiga prefecture, Japan. The brand incorporates modern designs and ideas to traditional crafts techniques through ceramic, wooden furniture and fabrics.In the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2018 (Japan) they exhibited “YOIGOMA – Standing Sake Bar”, An art performance was shown in a bar where they created original ways of offering sake made with a local sake brewery and given by an original cup they’ve developed that spins like a spinning top.KIGI also runs a gallery and shop “OUR FAVOURITE SHOP”. Here the duo organises exhibitions and events to focus on creating a “place” to present creations.In 2015 a solo exhibition was held at Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum, Clematis no Oka, followed by a large solo exhibition “KIGI WORK & FREE” at Utsunomiya Museum of Art in July 2017.

The work exhibited in this room is by Yoshie Watanabe, who was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1961. A graduate of Yamaguchi University, she was the winner of the 19th Yusaku Kamekura Design Award.In 2013, she launched the fashion brand CACUMA in collaboration with Shigesato Itoi’s Hobonichi.She has also published the picture books Brooch, Un Deux and Journey from Little More Books.Her illustrations express a unique and appealing worldview.Based on the project concept “sprouting”, Watanabe drew pictures of “trees that flow like fresh air”. Young leaves on branches, flowers of the fields, and colourful birds weave a tale inside the white room.