Delicious Design:
Conversation with The Art of the Ramen Bowl Exhibition Curators

 

The JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles exhibition The Art of the Ramen Bowl presents thirty “designer ramen bowls” decorated by renowned artists, architects and designers and fabricated in the Mino Ceramic Valley in Gifu prefecture. The exhibition was curated by designer Taku Satoh and art writer, editor and curator Mari Hashimoto with the intention of drawing attention to the importance of the ramen bowl, or donburi, in the experience and appreciation of ramen.

In this conversation moderated by JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles Art and Cultural Director Meher McArthur (with a translator), Satoh and Hashimoto discuss how this ramen bowl exhibition was developed, the relationship between art and food vessels in Japan and the importance of the design of food vessels in the enjoyment of the food itself.  

*To watch the video in full screen, please click on the image above, then click on the YouTube icon on the lower right-hand corner. 
 

Guest Speakers

Taku Satoh is a Japanese graphic designer. He graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Design, in 1979, then from its Graduate School in 1981. He worked for Dentsu Inc., before establishing Taku Satoh Design Office (TSDO Inc.) in 1984. He is currently president of Japan Graphic Design Association Inc.

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Satoh's work includes product development (Nikka Whiskey Pure Malt), packaging design (LOTTE XYLITOL Gum, Meiji Oishii gyunyu), graphic design (PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE), logo design (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa; National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo), as well as on branding and corporate identity (CI) programs.

Satoh provides art direction on the educational channel of NHK Television, Nihongo de Asobo, overall direction for Design Ah! on the same channel, and overall direction of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT. He has planned exhibitions such as water, JOMONESE, Design Anatomy and Design Ah!. His publications include Sosuru Shiko (Shinchosha, 2017).

Mari Hashimoto is a Japanese art writer, editor and curator and is currently  Deputy Director of Eisei Bunko, a private museum of the Hosokawa family art collection. She has authored several books including Bijutsu de Tadoru Nihon no Rekishi (Tracing Japanese History Through Art), Kyoto de Nihon Bijutsu wo Miru – Kyoto National Museum (A Look at Japanese art in Kyoto – Kyoto National Museum), Kawari Kabuto – Sengoku no Ku-ru Dezain (Fancy Helmets – Cool Designs from the Warring States Period).

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She has also coauthored SHUNGART and Hokusai Gensun Bijutsukan 100% Hokusai! (Museum of Full-size Hokusai Works 100% Hokusai). She has also curated exhibitions including the JAPAN HOUSE touring exhibition KUMIHIMO: The Art of Japanese Silk Braiding by DOMYO, writes regularly for Japanese newspapers and magazines and appears on art programs on NHK. 

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