AP obituary via the Philadelphia Inquirer of December 27, 2011 /ref> was a Japanese industrial designer. He played a role in Japanese modern design developed after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
to the high-growth period in the Japanese economy. He is both a representative of the wholly Japanese modern designer and a full-blown modernist who merged simplicity and practicality with elements of traditional Japanese crafts.
Early life
Yanagi was born in 1915 in
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan. His father is
Yanagi Sōetsu
, also known as Yanagi Muneyoshi, was a Japanese art critic, philosopher, and founder of the '' mingei'' (folk craft) movement in Japan in the late 1920s and 1930s.
Personal life
Yanagi was born in 1889 to Yanagi Narayoshi, a hydrographer of the ...
, founder of the Japanese folk crafts
mingei
The concept of , variously translated into English as " folk craft", "folk art" or "popular art", was developed from the mid-1920s in Japan by a philosopher and aesthete, Yanagi Sōetsu (1889–1961), together with a group of craftsmen, includin ...
movement, which celebrated the beauty of everyday objects, and the
Japanese Folk Crafts Museum
The is a museum in the 4th city block of Komaba, Meguro Ward, Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to the collecting, preserving, researching, and exhibition of the hand-crafted art of ordinary people, mingei, often translated as folk crafts. Access is from ...
(Nihon Mingeikan). Sōri entered Tokyo Art SchoolSori Yanagi Industrial Designer / DESIGN ARCHIVE /ref> (now,
Tokyo University of the Arts
or is a school of art and music in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, crafts, inter ...
) in 1934, where he studied both art and architecture.
Career
Yanagi was influenced by
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...
as well as by
Charlotte Perriand
Charlotte Perriand (; 24 October 1903 – 27 October 1999) was a French architect and designer. Her work aimed to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society. In her article "L'Art de Vivre" ...
, whom he translated for when she was in Tokyo during the early 1940s. Perriand introduced him to
product design
Product design is the process of creating new Product (business), products for businesses to sell to their customers. It involves the generation and development of ideas through a systematic process that leads to the creation of innovative products ...
, and his interests later moved from painting to buildings to design and objects.
Most of Yanagi's designs are very simple and beautiful. His products illustrate his thinking: true beauty is not made, it is born naturally. When he created a new product, he made the first versions over and over by hand, seeking new forms that took shape from both new and old ideas.
After World War II, Yanagi designed a wide range of
products
Product may refer to:
Business
* Product (business), an item that can be offered to a market to satisfy the desire or need of a customer.
* Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution
...
: furniture, three-wheeled vehicles, Olympic cauldrons, pedestrian overpasses, etc. One of the most famous pieces of furniture is his Butterfly Stool which won a gold prize at the
Milan Triennial XI
The Milan Triennial XI was the Triennial in Milan of 1957 sanctioned by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE). Its theme was ''Improving the Quality of Expression in Today’s Civilisation''.
Contents
There was a survey of sculpture of th ...
. Announced in 1956, its 2-piece form has been compared to a butterfly's open wings. Alternately, the shape can be seen as the gateway of a
Shinto
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...
shrine or even an antique samurai helmet. In effect, it is a form that is both modern and timeless, that has won critical acclaim and prizes, and is included in major collections such as the Museum of Modern Art New York and the Ruble Museum.
In 1958 Yanagi assisted in the founding of the ''Japan Interior Architects/Designers' Association''. He led the organization together with Isamu Kenmochi and Riki Watanabe.
Yanagi designed the official torch for the
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially the and commonly known as Sapporo 1972 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from February 3 to 13, 1972, in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It was the first Winter Olympic Games to take place outside ...
in
Sapporo
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...
, Japan.
Sōri Yanagi died in 2011 at the age of 96.
* Honorary Royal Designer for Industry (UK), 2008Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) Sori Yanagi ; retrieved 2012-5-27.