'Exploring the impact of our culture on our design' - special talk - Thursday, 10 January 2013, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Daiwa Foundation Japan House

This special talk is part of the programme of events accompanying the Japan-UK design exhibition Mark-ing.Mark-ing Press Release, 18 December 2012
Mark-ing is presented by the British Council and E&Y co., ltd. Featuring 16 designers (8 from the UK, 8 from Japan), the exhibition introduces work by contemporary designers from both countries alongside the ordinary objects that have influenced their careers.

British and Japanese designers Risa Fukui, Koichi Futatsumata, Yuri Suzuki and Hannah Martin explore subtle differences and parallels between their respective cultures and the influence this has had on their creative process and work. The discussion will explore social, educational and cultural differences that have impacted on their work alongside the shared ideas and global relationships that connect contemporary designers across the world.

Speakers: Risa Fukui, Koichi Futatsumata, Yuri Suzuki and Hannah Martin
Chaired by: Vicky Richardson, Director of Architecture, Design, Fashion at the British Council

Date and Time: Thursday, 10 January 2013, 18:00-19:30
Venue: Daiwa Foundation Japan House
13/14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle)
London NW1 4QP
(nearest underground station: Baker Street)
Tel: 020 7486 4348

As space is limited, booking is essential.

Please submit your details via the booking form here.

If you have any enquiries, please e-mail Niamh.Tuft@britishcouncil.org .

Speakers:

Risa Fukui
Japanese paper cutout artist, Risa Fukui, was born in Shizuoka. She graduated from the faculty of Graphic Design at Tama Art University in Tokyo, and has been actively engaged in projects based in Tokyo. She began paper cutout while in university and her technique was mostly self-taught, but it did not take long to find and master her artistic expression through this art form. Apart from her independent works, her projects include collaborations with major retailers such as shoes designs for Reebok and T-shirt designs for UNIQLO, and the animation for a television program by NHK based on the serial novelette “Good-bye” by the Japanese writer, Osamu Dazai. Fukui’s work is highly acclaimed for her in depth observation of her subjects, portrayed to the minute detail using delicate lines set in a dynamic composition, creating a world full of vitality.

Koichi Futatsumata
Born in Kagoshima. After graduating from Department of Engineering and Architecture at Kyusyu Industrial University, Futatsumata set up design unit “CASE-REAL” and started his professional career. He has exhibited his works at various exhibitions domestically and internationally. His first project, wooden electrical sockets, Concents, gained international attention. In 2000, Futatsumata established his own design studio “CASE-REAL” in Fukuoka where he provides design solutions in the areas of space, architecture and furniture. In 2013, Koichi set up Koichi Futatsumata Studio in Fukoka where he developed his product design practice further. Representative works include: In the Sky (edition HORIZONTAL by E&Y), 22 (EK Japan / Hybrid Tube Amplifier), Hammock (E&Y / table), White Dormitory for Il Vento (Teshima, Kagawa Pref. / dormitory) and Joyce Tlg (Hong Kong / Shop). Awards include Commendations/AR Awards 2009 (London), Bronze at Design for Asia Award 2010 (Hong Kong), D&AD Nomination Awards 2011 (London). In 2011 his work 22 was added to the permanent collection at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Yuri Suzuki
Yuri Suzuki was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1980. In 1999, he embarked upon his interdisciplinary career by working for the Japanese art unit Maywa Denki, where he developed a strong interest in the relationship between music and technology. In 2005, he moved to London to study at the Royal College of Art and supplemented his studies by working for YAMAHA. Upon graduation in 2008, Yuri opened his own studio and has quickly begun to show works in venues around the world.

Hannah Martin
With a prestigious Central St Martins design education and a handful of awards behind her, it’s no surprise Hannah Martin is shaking up the world of luxury jewellery as we know it. Her exciting brand creates luxurious and decadent collections described as ‘jewellery for men,that girlfriends will steal’. The look is elegant, sexy and decidedly rock n’ roll. Hannah’s background boasts work for brands such as Cartier, Givenchy and Tag Heuer, amongst others, indicating clearly where her taste for luxury developed. Under her own label Hannah has worked on collaborations within both the fashion and music industries, also turning the heads of A-listers across the globe with the likes of Agyness Deyn, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Pink, Rufus Wainwright, and Guy Berryman all purchasing pieces of the collection, as well as heavy-weights of the fashion world including Christopher Bailey and Vivienne Westwood. Hannah was recently nominated as one of the finalists for the UK Jewellery Awards “Jewellery Designer of the Year” and “Luxury Jeweller of The Year”, has just been named as one of the Observer / Courvoisier Future 500s and was one of the faces of the inaugural Coutts London Jewellery Week this summer, alongside jewellery heroes Stephen Webster and Theo Fennell.