In the late 1960s Kuramata realized the possibilities of modern science and technology to become a global designer known for his innovative works. These include many pieces which use a mix of diverse mediums including acrylic, glass, aluminum, and steel mesh. His creativity and unique presence continue to influence many even after his death.

At this small exhibition, we will present “Limitless I” “Limitless II” which were shown at the 11th Tokyo International Hanga Biennale in 1979, then remained stored away for many long years. It is their first public presentation following Kuramata’s passing; as they’ve never been included in any of the many exhibitions and retrospectives held in Japan or abroad, these works have been hardly recorded in any literature about Kuramata.

This exhibition’s objets include the floating, translucent flower vases; the miniature work “Glass Chair”; and “Just in Time”, a clock which tracks time with a delicate second hand; we will also present a post-mortem acrylic objet of a sealing of a rose used as material for one of Kuramata’s representative works, “Miss Blanche”, the chair created for the Tsukuba Daiichi Hotel.

We hope Kuramata fans will also be pleased to see the posters, including the poster from the Miki Tomio Exhibition (design: Kuramata Shiro / photograph: Ogawa Takayuki) held in 1972 at Minami Garo, a significant point in art history; and various other rare posters from Kuramata exhibitions around the world (with some designed by Yokoo Tadanori, among others). These Kuramata works will be presented alongside drawings and prints by his contemporaries, Isozaki Arata and Ando Tadao.

■ Shiro KURAMATA (1934-1991)
In the late 1960s Kuramata realized the possibilities of modern science and technology to become a global designer known for his innovative works. These include many pieces which use a mix of diverse mediums including acrylic, glass, aluminum, and steel mesh. He was born in Tokyo in 1934. He attended the Tokyo Metropolitan Kogei High School and began work at Teikoku Kuzai in 1953. From 1953 to 1956 he studied at Kuwasawa Design Research Center, Department of Living Design, and in 1957 moved to Mie Prefecture to work in advertising, creating window displays. In 1956 he began his own office, Kuramata Design. In 1967 he gained attention after collaborating with Tadanori Yokoo on an interior design project.

From around this time, he started to use the acrylic that he would favor for the rest of his life, creating transparent, weightless works emulating that cloating space of everyday life. Kuramata gained international recognition with his 1970 series "Furniture in Irregular Forms". He was awarded the Mainichi Design Prize in 1972. In 1981 he participated in an exhibition in Memphis set up by Ettore Sottssas Jr., showing works as part of a new Italian design movement alongside Arata Isozaki and Michael Graves. He was awarded the French Order of Culture in 1990. He suffered from heart failure in 1991 and passed away at the age of 56.

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