Student-Designed Chairs to be Showcased Downtown

UC College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Professor Tony Kawanari challenged his industrial design students to build chairs incorporating at least three of the five Japanese design elements: Kaigyaku (humor), Skokuningie (craftsmanship), Kogataka (compactness), Hitaisho (asymmetry) or Kanso (simplicity). The final products will be showcased beginning July 12 in the upcoming exhibition at DAAP Galleries downtown, 314 West Fourth St.

The background of the project, as presented by Kawanari, is fascinating. In Japanese design, Kaigyaku (humor) is a way to satisfy the human soul, a relief in the hard working and demanding society of modern Japan. Shokuningei (craftsmanship) is a critical design element for the Japanese due to strong cultural traditions and limited physical resources, including space and possessions. Kogataka (compactness) is a natural response to the country's scarcity of natural resources, limited storage space, need to ship products to distant markets, love of detail and desire to master technology. Hitaisho (asymmetry) is used to express interacting forces or the unique relationship between people and nature. Kanso (simplicity) involves communicating as much as possible with the fewest means, incorporating insight, austerity and sophistication to eliminate the insignificant.

Along with these beautiful aesthetic qualities, the resultant chairs had to be practical; that is, practically manufactured and shipped, cross-generational, easy to get into and out of, relate to an environment, weigh no more than 75 pounds yet support 300 pounds, and be ergonomically correct and engineered properly. No small task.

The downtown UC exhibition will also feature unique electrical cleaning machines (sojiki), designed by Kawanari's class. The July 12 opening reception will be held 6-8 p.m. and is open to the public and free of charge. The exhibition continues through Aug. 30.Gallery hours are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information on the exhibition or the gallery, call (513) 381-0603 or (513) 556-2839.