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Exhibition Concept
Creators who live and breathe the worlds of art and design will surely listen to voices of their influential, prominent and talented predecessors to establish their own philosophy. At the same time, they will strive for a personal voice, outside the spheres of influence. The trajectories of design predecessors reveal something to all of us about unchanging human values.
The six Maestros introduced here did more than devote themselves to the work of design. They advocated social ideals out of concern for the utility of design to people at large. They sought to establish order in chaotic times. While imposing such high responsibility on themselves, each interpreted design in their own particular way. All of our Maestros labored to contribute to society via the concrete practice of design.
The word "design" has perhaps become too broad, which creates confusion. The design philosophies established by our six Maestros were unwaveringly solid. They addressed everyday matters so as to make our lives immeasurably richer.
The philosopher Immanuel Kant is said to have stated, "being easy to use, is being beautiful."
Max Bill said something similar: "beauty is a function."
I hope this exhibition succeeds in its hope of casting light on today's complexities.
21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Director
Naoto Fukasawa