An Afternoon in Ginza

I was just at the Ginza Graphic Gallery for its monthly exhibition, a show I wasn’t even sure I would take the time to check out. I just don’t really care for the esthetics of Balarinji, which is the reason I didn’t mention the show here. Balarinji’s John Moriarty has developed “a design signature that blends contemporary graphics with ancient Aboriginal motifs and icon systems.” Sure, it’s well executed, but it just doesn’t have a look that I find appealing at all. I’d give this one a pass.

On the other hand, Matsuya‘s Design Gallery has a fascinating exhibition that looks at the working tools of over 40 designers. I was really into seeing the pencils, pens, brushes or cutting tools they all use to create their signature work, these objects often complementing the personality of each individual in a revealing way. Might be of interest mostly for design otaku like myself, but I thought the show was one of the better ones I’ve seen there. Browsing through the adjacent Design Collection shop space, I found an attractive book commemorating the 600th exhibition they had, called THE PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE OF DESIGN. I’ll write a seperate post on it when I get home.