For its May exhibition, ginza graphic gallery (ggg) will be mounting an exhibition of the poster works of Koichi Sato. Since his debut in the 1970s, Sato has consistently attracted attention for his unique works meshing traditional Japanese tastes and futuristic imagery. His poster works in particular, with their vivid colors and gradations achieved though Sato's total mastery of printing mechanisms, are richly imbued with a spirituality and air of tenseness whose appeal is recognized by all people of all generations.
The exhibition is to focus thematically on the sky and it will bring together approximately 100 of Sato's representative poster works spanning his entire career. Among the most famous are his New Music Media poster of 1974, which is hailed as his true starting point, and his Tokyo Frontier 96 poster of 1993. Also on display will be an array of the analog tools behind his production process: hand-drawn mechanicals, color chips and other items that are gendangered species in today's rapidly changing media environment. They offer important insight into the secret behind the ageless appeal of Sato's posters.
In tandem with the exhibition a small book will also be published containing 24 essays and plates reproducing Sato's contributions some three decades ago to Music Magazine.
About the Artist
Graphic designer & professor at Tama Art University.
Mr. Sato was born in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, in 1944. He graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (now, Tokyo University of the Arts) with a degree in Visual Design. After initially working in the advertising department of Shiseido, he went freelance in 1971. He won a Tokyo ADC Award in 1985, a Mainichi Design Award in 1991, and the Education Minister's Art Encouragement Prize for young artists in 1997. He has also won numerous awards at international poster competitions, including at the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). His works are part of permanent collections at many art museums both in Japan and abroad. Mr. Sato is presently a member of JAGDA, AGI, Japan Design Committee, Tokyo ADC and Tokyo TDC. He is best known for his unique style of expression acclaimed for its Oriental touch, but in recent years he has been working with other modes of free expression.
