[ggg] WELCOME TO MAGAZINE POOL

Last year, Ginza Graphic Gallery (GGG) welcomed the 20th anniversary of its founding. We are a gallery specializing in graphic design that was created through the help of large Japanese printing corporations that used our gallery, beginning in 1986, as a place to distribute information about art. In just about one month, GGG became well-known in Tokyo as a place that always had up-to-date information about currently active artists. GGG held exhibitions highlighting the works of young artists, experienced graphic designers, and exhibits that displayed the works of designers from within Japan as well as outside of Japan.


For this project, GGG was called upon to create an exhibit that introduced ten creators standing in the forefront of the world's magazine industry. These creators' works were displayed on a wall of the gallery. IIn addition, they were featured in the Singapore graphic magazine WERK in an article entitled “The Magazine as Art.”

In a separate space, the editorial designs managed by these creators were displayed on the walls. The resulting feel of the gallery space quite resembled the way that art sold is on the streets of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. In addition to the work on the walls, there was a pool in the middle of the gallery space. Many magazines were scattered across the rippling surface of the water.

ten creators’ works

WERK in an article entitled “The Magazine as Art.”

editorial designs on the wall (left) many magazines in the pool (right)

These magazine editorials and book designs were worthy attracted the interest of creative people at the pinnacle of their careers. Moreover, the entire exhibition really made you question, “What kind of meaning does magazine design bear?”



Despite all the various media that has emerged from new technology and diverse cultures, there is still no other form of media that can replace the existence of the magazine. The magazine is not merely something that has bears the meaning of design. But the aspect of the magazine and the place that it holds shows the capability of design. Consequently, I think the magazine holds a separate and unique design power separate from all other media.


This article is just my attempt to subjectively express my feelings regarding the exhibition, both as a magazine writer and as an avid magazine reader. I hope that you all thoroughly enjoy the exhibition “The world of magazines.”



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The 257th Exhibition of Ginza Graphic Gallery
Japan Magazine Publishers Association and Japan Book Publishers Association 50th Anniversary Commemoration
WELCOME TO MAGAZINE POOL
Ten Creators Crossing Boundaries for Magazine Design

■ Dates
Nov 2(Fri.) – Nov 27(Tue.), 2007
11am−7pm (Sat-6pm)
◎ closed on Sun and national holidays

■ Curator
Yasushi FUJIMOTO

■ Participating Creators
Christophe Brunnquell
David Carson
Gento MATSUMOTO
Heikichi HARATA
Jop Van Bennekom
Kazunari HATTORI
M/M (Paris)
Tadanori YOKOO
Work In Progress
Yorgo Tloupas

■ Venue
Ginza Graphic Gallery
Free entrance
DNP Ginza Building 1st floor 7-2,
Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

ggg (ginza graphic gallery)
http://www.dnp.co.jp/gallery/ggg/

WERK magazine
http://www.workwerk.com/
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text and photo by Mieko SAI