Made in Spain design is unveiled in Tokyo

ICEX, The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, in collaboration with the Economic and Trade Office of Spain in Tokyo, organised a group of exhibitions, temporary installations, seminars and lectures focusing on Spanish design during the recent Tokyo Designers Week (TDW), held from October 26 to November 4. These showcased the latest products created by Spain’s contemporary designers. These promotional activities form part of the event, Dual Year Spain-Japan.

The event’s most eye-catching attraction was designer Jaime Hayón’s exhibition Backstage, A Journey into the World of Spanish Designer Jaime Hayón, held at the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo. This presented some of his most iconic pieces produced in collaboration with both Spanish and international furniture, lighting and homeware manufacturers. On display were 12 products, including for the companies Lladró and Bd Barcelona Design, and the process behind their creation – from initial, rough sketches to completed products. Hayón also held a seminar about his creative approach and how he transforms his ideas and sketches into polished pieces of design.

A series of seminars about different areas of Spanish design, held at the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo, also formed part of TDW. On the industrial design front, participants included designers Mario Ruiz, Victor Carrasco and Carlos Tíscar and the design studios of Jorge Herrera, Silo Studio and Santiago Sevillano. Four interior design studios – Egue and Seta, ESL Interiores, Noviembre Estudio and AC Studio – also took part, all of whom promoted their services in Asia. Finally, design studios Mormedi and Stone Designs unveiled their work in the Japanese market to Japan’s press, advocates of products and manufacturers.

Other events promoted a cultural interchange between the two countries, most notably an exhibition organised by Acción Cultural Española (Spanish Cultural Action) and curated by Spanish designer Juli Capella called Tapas, Spanish design for Food, based at the HQ of TDW from October 26 to November 4 and from November 4 onwards at the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo. What’s more, Spanish design studio Stone Designs, in collaboration with Japanese design brand Muji, mounted the exhibition Found Muji Iberia, while design outfit Outofstock put on the show The Weight of Blue in collaboration with Clear Edition and Any Tokyo 2013. Finally, Lladró organised an exhibition of its pieces launched in 2013 at its showroom in Ginza, Tokyo.

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Made in Spain design is unveiled in Tokyo