10, 974

Thailand Creative and Design Center exhibit - DNA of Japanese Design
(preceded by a lecture by the Japanese dude who invented the 1st cellular phone and the 1st fax machine and also, the Japanese dude who had illuminating, but way too many, slides)

again from TCDC, my nth "wow" of Saturday.
i'd almost missed the exhibit because the entrance was tucked away by the side.
(i was wearing glasses so no peripheral vision.)
and as soon as i'd walked in - wow.
again, it just must be that i'm easily impressed. it was after all, just a predominantly dark hall
with glass panels hung low and various desgners' profiles projected on to them.
higher up, long columns of micro-net screens with images of Japan projected on to them.
and all around, objects of Japanese designs on pedestals lit from below. (kaya din natin yan! i suppose : S)

the core of the exhibit though, was the so-called DNA of Japanese design.
the driving principles behind Jap design were extracted, and in the exhibit, given examples of.
like, take the Japanese compulsion to make objects accessible to as many people as possible.
Exemplified by making the 8mm film camera, and later, the handycam (also an example of the
Jap compulsion to make things as compact as possible), which allowed even non-film professionals
to dabble in film-making.

Another Japanese design principle, making objects accessible even to groups not previously diposed to it.
like baby slings and baby hampers were previously seen as too feminine. by inventing that baby carrier
that you can sling on to your shoulders like a backpack, suddenly, (supposedly), it was ok for men to carry a baby around.
there are about 9 principles. i'll go get the exhibit notes if any of you still want more.

anyway, listening to the lecture and going around the exhibit, i realize, i'm loving being a student again.
this whole first weekend in bkk has been about learning it, and so many other things besides.
waking up this morning and seeing all my notes scattered across my study,
a familiar gladness came over me. i'm learning so many things!
i am such a nerd.
(i still don't get aibo though.)