Month: August 2009

Categories
Books Design Events Gallery Pause

Urban Paper

Despite the fact that I’ve been house-bound and on my back for the past month, I’m very glad to say that the “Urban Paper” paper toy art show and book launch is still happening at Cafe Pause next month. Produced by Josh McKible — who you all know from NaniBird — it celebrates the recently launched book Urban Paper: 25 Designer Toys to Cut Out and Build by bringing together new works from a host of designers who were featured inside (including Josh). It’s an awesome book — I have a copy — and so it’s a thrill to be able to help spread the paper toy gospel here in Tokyo.

As you can see above, Josh has designed a very cool poster for the show, starring the show’s mascot. More than just a graphic, the little dude can actually be printed out and built (see below), so get to it.

The show will run September 7-20, and thanks to some good news from my doctor today (and a beautiful x-ray), we’ll be celebrating the opening at next month’s edition of PauseTalk (Vol. 34) on the 7th.

Categories
Design MoCo Loco

This Week at MoCo Loco

My latest Tokyo post for MoCo Loco is up, covering the following: Fumie Shibata’s Nagomi utensils (above), No Quiet’s Naname glasses, Naoto Fukasawa’s netbook for Samsung, Suikosha’s “Anything Collection” of desktop accessories, Jun Yasumoto’s Reading Lamp, and Ryohei Yoshiyuki’s ash tray.

Categories
Art

Yuken Teruya

For his latest project, artist Yuken Teruya turns trash — like disposable paper bags from MickeyD’s — into beautiful art installations, like the scene pictured above. Via Marxy.

Categories
Cafes Design Meta

Visual Language for Designers

Ian has some work featured in the just-released Visual Language for Designers: Principles for Creating Graphics that People Understand, and one of examples is the poster he originally created for my Cafe Pause poster series.

Categories
Art Events

Inoko

If you find yourself in Inokashira park, beware of the roaming yokai, especially Inoko, pictured above on a pair of buttons. Matt has more info on a yokai-related event happening there this coming Saturday (August 28).

Categories
Meta

Vote Jeans NOW!

In these coming elections, there’s only one real choice. Thanks for your support — and thank you David for the awesome image, you made my day!

Categories
Design Meta

Thanko Makes It Work

How have I been getting any work done while having to lie down on my back? It’s thanks to Thanko, really. I’ve been using the desk pictured above, which I ordered a couple of weeks ago. Funny thing is, it’s actually a product I recommended in one of the very first editions of my “On Design” column for the The Japan Times years ago. What goes around, comes around I guess.

Categories
Design Stores

Neojaponisme Kiosk

One day maybe: the Néojaponisme kiosk.

Categories
Advertisements Games Web

Playface

Sony is launching a new PlayStation promotional campaign called “Playface” in September, and they already have a teaser site up with brilliant use of full-screen flash video, showcasing people’s faces (lots of celebrities) when they play.

Update: Now you can also watch the TV commercials that have started airing here.

Categories
Design Stores

New Muji Flagship Store

This is certainly exciting for me, as a resident of Ikebukuro: the main Muji store in Ikebukuro (which I believe was actually the first Muji store) is undergoing some major renovations, and it’s going to be turned into a new flagship store (although it certainly won’t be as massive as the Yurakucho one). They will be celebrating with exhibitions, and a series of talk events, everything kicking off September 18. Note that Ikebukuro is still home to the Muji corporate HQ.