From April 27, 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT will present a new exhibition “TEMA HIMA: the Art of Living in Tohoku.” It is a follow-up to last July’s special program “THE SPIRIT OF TOHOKU: ‘CLOTHING’ BY ISSEY MIYAKE” held in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. This exhibition will focus on the “foods and living spaces” of the Tohoku region as seen through the eyes of graphic designer Taku Satoh and product designer Naoto Fukasawa, two of the three directors of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT (Issey Miyake is the third).
"Time,” a concept that is often ignored in the modern pursuit for efficiency, is a value that still lives on with the making things of the Tohoku region. The people toil steadily as they wait for the long hard winters to pass. They live humble lives, close to nature harvesting and preparing their materials with the changing seasons. The process of “TEMA (effort)” and “HIMA (time)” is one worthy of attention particularly in the context of design for the future. How can we learn from the distinctive character, charm, and above all, philosophy shaped by Tohoku’s “TEMA HIMA” of making things and use this as a stepping stone for tomorrow?
To prepare for the exhibition, a team of designers, a food director, a journalist, film artists, and a photographer are delving into the rich tradition in the “foods and living spaces” of the six Tohoku prefectures. Farmers who pass on their unique traditions; craftsmen, who breathe life back into handcrafts; workshops with young talents to examine new possibilities for making things... Our encounters with the determined and positive people of Tohoku bore fruit as a single exhibition.
The exhibition will introduce the Tohoku region’s unique version of making things, “TEMA HIMA foods and living spaces” through the actual products as well as all-new footage and photographs. It will feature graphics designed by Taku Satoh and a space designed by Naoto Fukasawa. The goal will be to identify keys to the future of design by looking into the wealth of wisdom and creative ingenuity within the collective culture and spirit of the people of Tohoku.
