Three Weeks in

Three weeks has passed since the start of the term. So much and so little have happened, I don't know how to comprehend. This marks the end of January and I have about 6 months of life in London to go? INSANE.

Few selected highlights of those three weeks.

A lecture by Spanish illustrator/designer Javier Mariscal. Frankly, one of the most entertaining lectures I've ever been. His entire presentation was done in a series of movies, with music and animation, along with his live voice over (and singing). A lot of humour. Very Spanish. Made us all happy and laughed out loud. He sort of became a little legend among us.
I've always liked what he did for H&M in Barcelona, which I think I saw in Wallpaper* magazine. I have visited there specifically to see his design when I was in Barcelona.

More of his work can be seen at his Estudio Mariscal website.


Arduiono workshop with Angus:

Arduino is a kit that allows you to do physical computing easily and it's something I've never known before the start of this school year. I have never thought I'd be interested in such a thing (I chose graphic design because I was more interested in two dimensional objects in general over physical stuff), but this thing is so exciting. You can attach whole kinds of sensors for inputs, and it also can have various output modes.
Hardware and software are both open source and you can find more information at arduino.cc


Time/Speed self-set brief:

I've done series of experiments, timing myself as well as setting time limit to my activity. I've also done series of 'how much can I do in 3 hours' experiments. One of which was to record how far I can walk in 3 hours. I started in Old Street tube station, headed west, and ended up in West Ealing 3 hours later.
More information about the progress of my self-set project will be noted soon!


週７（！）で学校行って、大学の図書館でバイトして、日々の生活の中では大学関係の人としか会わないし、大学と家の往復の毎日という生粋の大学っ子。
毎日新しいことを知って、学んで、成長出来て、本当にそれは幸せなことで。でも大学というのは、守られた、小さな世界であることも事実なので、いつかは出なければいけないし、幸せな場所で幸せに完結するわけにもいかないので。４年間幸せに過ごしてきたのだから、そろそろまた苦しいのもいいよね。

自分は、「裕福な家庭で、外国でのびのびと育って、英語も幼いうちから喋れるラッキーな子」という印象を与えてしまうことが多いというのも、自覚していて。自分も、少し前までは「上辺で判断して、あたしの苦労も知らないでー」とぐれていたのだけれど、割と最近になって、自分は「努力」はしてきたかもしれないけれど、「苦労」は一切してきていないと気づいた。どんな境遇の人でも、努力はするべきだと思うけれど、苦労はしなくて済むのならしなくていいのだから、やはり自分は恵まれているなあと思います。親への一番の感謝はそこだと思う。なら、苦労しなくて済んだ分、努力したいです。

本当、自分に足りないものだらけで、毎日悔しいから、この際成長してみせるよー。

OMA: Progress at Barbican

An exhibition about an architecture firm OMA is currently on at Barbican Centre.
People who know me well know that Rem Koolhaas, the founder of OMA is my recent big thing.

The film 'A Portrait of the Maison a Bordeaux from the Perspective of the House Keeper' that they played inside the exhibition made me laugh. It's a house that was designed for a man on a wheelchair, and the floor is like an elevator, it moves up and down. The first sequence of the film is so beautiful and so poetic,  a long shot of floor going slowly up with a house keeper lady. And then comes the film, where people constantly complain about the house and tackling all sorts of problem with it. 'It's too grey' 'The water leaks down from holes' etc etc...

Pay a visit to the exhibition if you haven't already, before it ends on 19th February. It's quite an interesting take on exhibition design with full of unusual ideas and it's worth going even just for that. But I will warn you graphic designers in advance that this show may upset (or perhaps piss off) some of you; a lot of Arial (but also Helvetica) in action. It was funny because they used both Arial and Helvetica, it became one of those spot-Arial games. To be really frank, Arial doesn't bother me too much, but I know it does to some of you. You've been warned...

And, Clara gave me a surprise gift today! It's Volume magazine, a project by Archis, AMO, and C-lab. A magazine where Rem Koolhaas is one of the founders. The magazine comes with a lot of goodies in a plastic case! WHAAA.

Thank you so much Clara for giving me a gift that I truly cherish, and have a great Chinese New Year everyone!


オランダ人の建築家レム・コールハース率いるOMAのバービカン・ギャラリーでの展示を見てきた。キュレーションはベルギーのデザイン・コレクティブRotor。パンフレットの表紙にもRotorの名前があって、展示の最初にもRotorからのメッセージが壁にばーんとあって、OMAからではない「外部からの視点」というのが重要なポイントだったことが伺える。

RotorがOMAのオフィスに行って、面白そうだなあと見つけたものを引っ張り出してきた、といった印象。建築家たちがどういう風に見せたいか、もしくはメッセージを持って作られた展示というよりも、普通の展示にはないような物がいろいろ並んでいて、割とばらばらで、でもよく見ると面白いよなあ、といった感じ。でも、それもなんとなくOMAらしい。

展示のデザインも面白かったし、ピスセル建築や模型、グラフィックも展示してあって、その辺りを、いま、進行中のプロジェクトの方にアイディアを引っ張ってこれそうだった。たまたま、卒展のデザインのプロジェクトで、空間のデザインや、ピクセルを使ったデザインも作ろうとしているので。

それにしても、いま、進行中もしくは仕上げなくちゃいけないプロジェクトが７つある・・・。わたし、一体どうなるんだろう・・・。

Reverse Entropy feat. Bomber Family

Entropy measures disorder. An example of what it means is that "you can turn an egg into an omelet, but you can’t turn an omelet into an egg" sort of idea. Egg has a small entropy (tidy) and omelet has a large entropy (messy). Confused? Better thorough explanation can be found on this Wired article.

Whatever the other fields of physics say about the relationship between past and future, it is instinctively weird to see future go to the past. Reversing a film is a simple technique, nothing so complicated about it and yet the outcome becomes utterly amusing.

Just as a little playful thing, I made this film out of the footage from Bomberman project. Gosh, messing with entropy is fun. Quite a rough edit the film is, but it's still a good fun to watch.

Self Initiated: Time, Speed

For my self-initiated project, I'm planning on examining time and speed in relation to the design practice. My method of investigation is time and the subject is also time.

My idea is eventually to present the concept of time and speed in a form of static book. The medium of book is a little unusual to associate with time and speed, in contrast to medium such film and web, and so I would like to explore such possibility.


Some primary questions are the place I started thinking about this:

• CSM (or the realm of academic institution) does slow design, where as the professional design industry goes so fast. Are we being perhaps too relaxed and lacking the pressure that we probably need?
• Being fast is not necessary bad, imperfection can be rather charming and perfection can become boring too. Nevertheless, things produced without deep thinking (automation of machines or from copying like 'photoshop architecture' of China) tend to be shallow and boring too. Where do we draw the line then?
• When does deadline make you more focused and creative, and when does it oppress people?

I talked to my genius friend who's studying Physics, and apparently apart from The Second Law of Thermodynamics, all areas of Physics suggest that there is no difference between past and future, and time can be reversible. The second law of thermodynamics (the principle of the increase of entropy) is the only one that distinguishes past from future.
He also told me that glass is actually an extremely slow-moving liquid. I got fascinated and googled a bit and it seems like physicists still debate upon whether the glass is actually solid or liquid. It is rather that the line between solid and liquid is not distinct.
Yeah, I thought I should share random facts (isn't science so fascinating?).


卒業制作の一環として、次の２週間弱は「時間」と「スピード」について考え、調べる予定。このプロジェクト始めてから思い出したのだけれど、高校のアートの授業では２年間の最初に個人テーマを定めるのに、私が選んだのは「時間」だった（最終的にテーマは変わったのだけれど、何になったのかは忘れた）。たぶん私、時間好き。関係ないけど、昔から都市も好き。

とりあえず、東大で物理をやっている親友いわく、物理学的に、未来向きの方向と過去向きの方向って同じで、未来と過去って違いがないらしい。物理学の中で、熱力学的だけが未来と過去の違いをエントロピーで説明しているって。エントロピーを題材に、巻き戻しの映画とかいくらでも撮れそうと思ってYouTubeで検索したら、いろいろ出てきた。ただの巻き戻し再生の動画を「逆・エントロピー」って呼んでいるだけなんだけど、巻き戻し再生って何故かすごく面白い。


(The photo was taken on the last morning of 2011)

CSM Degree Show Identity

We have been busy working on the identity for this year's CSM degree show with a mega fabulous team. We've just finished our first pitching to the board of graphic design tutors. It's been about two years since I've taken part in a pitching, delivering a somewhat formal presentation. To prepare for that, I recorded my own speech, and listened to it over repeatedly. Since Soundcloud, I'm getting used to hearing myself talk (sort of).

Thinking back, I've entered competition briefs every year (Sony music headquarter brief in 1st year, D&AD Taschen digital app brief in 2nd year) and I suppose this will be the competition brief for this year. I've been shortlisted and went on to the last rounds for both briefs, but didn't actually win for neither of them. This competition will be my last shot.

This is the largest group I've ever worked with and it's usually tricky to work in a big group, but it turned out that this size is realistic to cover the vast area and hard work that the brief requires. I have all my confidence in this group and I have been fortunate to take part in a pleasant creative process so far.


今年度のセントマ卒展のアイデンティティーや情報のシステムをデザインするプロジェクト。コンペに勝てば、大学のすべての学部を総括して、構内から、デジタル、印刷物まですべてデザイン出来るというかなり魅力的なプロジェクト。今年は３つの校舎が引っ越してきた、新しい校舎での最初の卒展ということで、大学側も気合いを入れていて、業界側からの注目度も抜群。私を含め５人のグループでコンペに臨んでいる最中。最終選考まで進めたので、とにかく勝ちたい。アイディアにも自信があるし、このチームだったら、そのアイディアをちゃんと形に出来る自信もある。

１年生のときにやったソニーのコンペも、２年生のときのD&ADのコンペも、最終選考まで残っているものの、最終的に１番になってないので、今回こそは実現させたい。

One Thing that I Have Learnt from Japanese Earthquake

One thing that I have learnt from Japanese earthquake: invest in yourself.

With this such an unstable economical climate and the world full of unexpected, there are so many ways that my money or possession may be taken away. So easily.
The safest investment, it seems to me, is the one to your own self. The knowledge and skill that one has acquired are much harder to be taken away.  Don't save up too much or don't buy a lot of 'things'; use money to invest in yourself. Spend money to learn knowledge and skill that will be there to remain. That is what I've thought over 2011 and I suppose that is what I need to say for the resolution of 2012.

最も安全な投資は、自分自身にする投資。モノやお金は不幸な出来事によって、簡単になくなってしまうかもしれないけれど、頭の中に入っている知識や、身につけたスキルは奪われにくいから。
だから、やっぱりもっと一生懸命勉強したいと思いました。一生懸命学ぶ２０１２年にしたいです。

Postmodernism Style and Subversion 1970–1990 at V&A

I went to postmodernism exhibition at V&A. Stuff displayed generally look quite horrendous. Interesting, nonetheless.

I'm not against weird shapes, being decorative, or use of overwhelming colors. In fact modern Dutch design (especially in the realm of product design and architecture) do exactly that, and I happen to be quite a fan of Dutch design. Then again, I'm pretty against postmodernism. I don't even know why that's the case and would like to know myself...

Without even knowing what the hell it is, I have always despised postmodernism, and yet I saw the works and names of the artists/designers I admire in the exhibition. From Koolhaas to Yokoo to Saville to Westwood and Kawakubo. I hoped to make sense of postmodernism after visiting this exhibition, but I suppose I still haven't.


ポストモダニズムのV&Aの展示を観に行った。過剰で、奇抜で、変てこで、装飾的で、悪趣味なアートとデザインの作品の数々。ユートピア的なヴィジョンや、しっかりとした理論が背景にあったモダニズムと違って、衝動的。面白いけれど、個人的には欲しくないし、作りたくない。
でも、ポストモダニズムは基本的に嫌いなのに、ダッチデザインは、形が奇抜だったり、変てこなものが多い（特にプロダクトデザインと建築）のに、面白いから好き。その差はなんなのか、自分でもよくわからない。そして、展示でも、好きなデザイナーの作品がポストモダニズムとして挙っていたりして、更によくわからなくなった。