SURVIVE - EIKO ISHIOKA | ginza graphic gallery (ggg)

Exhibition information

The 381st Ginza Graphic Gallery Exhibition SURVIVE - EIKO ISHIOKA

December 04, 2020 - March 19, 2021

Sparking a sensation in the advertising world of 1960s and ’70s Tokyo through her work as art director for companies such as cosmetics manufacturer Shiseido, boutique shopping complex chain Parco, and publisher Kadokawa Shoten, Eiko Ishioka (1938–2012) turned the existing image of women on its head and helped lay the groundwork for the growing women’s empowerment of the 1980s.
As the 1973 oil crisis spelled the end to the era of mass production and mass consumption that had been propelled by rapid economic growth, the advertising of the 1970s entered an age in which companies sought to differentiate themselves through their corporate image, kicking off with campaigns such as “From breakneck to beautiful” (Mōretsu kara byūtifuru e) and “Discover Japan.” With the emergence of individualistic art directors such as Eiko Ishioka and Katsumi Asaba, advertising began to clearly promote the image of companies, rather than products—in other words, advertising a phenomenon (a way of life or concept) as opposed to a tangible item.
Particularly the 1970s series of posters for Parco—which Ishioka created through close but highly tense collaboration with photographers, copywriters, and models among others—and their consistently fervent messages reached levels of expression that wowed both in and beyond Japan, transcending the realm of advertising to enliven that era as bold works of art.
This exhibition focuses on Eiko Ishioka’s work in Japan, from her debut up to her move to New York in the 1980s. The first session of the exhibition will concentrate on her outstanding advertising campaigns for Shiseido, Parco and others, while the second phase will showcase a selection of her graphic art pieces, including film and theater posters and works that have rarely been seen until now.
“Originality,” “revolutionary,” and “timeless”: these were the concepts that Ishioka repeatedly emphasized as her mantra. Almost half a century later, these fragments of Eiko Ishioka’s revolutionary creative spirit still move us with great intensity and confidently whisper for us to awake.

Dates

First session (Advertising campaigns):
December 4 (Fri.), 2020–January 23 (Sat.), 2021
Second session (Graphic art):
February 3 (Wed.), 2021–March 19 (Fri.), 2021
(Gallery closed for New Year’s holiday from December 28 (Mon.) 2020
to January 5 (Tue.), 2021)

Venue

ginza graphic gallery
DNP Ginza Building 1F/B1
7-2, Ginza 7-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Tel: 03-3571-5206
Opening hours: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Closed on Sundays and public holidays
Admission free

Direction

Ryoko Ishioka, Koichi Kawajiri

Design

Hiroaki Nagai (N.G.inc.)

Exhibition composition

Hitomi Nakazawa (CBK Co., Ltd.)

Exhibition visuals

Kidai Kato (motion graphic director) +Naoki Kumamoto (design director) + EDP graphic works (motion graphic design)

Online Talk Session (Japanese Only)

ggg will hold a series of online talk session during the exhibition [SURVIVE - EIKO ISHIOKA].

The fourth session will feature Mr. Daisuke Iga （stylist） and Mr. Koichi Kosugi （art director）.
The two young creators will focus on various theme as “why Eiko Ishioka is in the spotlight today?” or “what does it mean to create a new age?” etc,.

The exhibition supervisor of ggg exhibition, Mr. Koichi Kawajiri will be their moderator.

Let’s talk about Eiko! vol.4
Date: Feburary 26 (fri) pm5：30〜7：00
Speaker: Iga Daisuke×Koichi Kosugi
Moderator: Koichi Kawajiri (Editor)
No Reservations Required,

Please access to YouTube from HERE, from pm5:30.
https://youtu.be/va2W4j7I44s

*Please note, the network may sometimes by unstable.
*This session will be running on You Tube during the exhibition term.

─　─　─　─
Archive:

Let’s talk about Eiko! vol.1
Speaker: Koichi Kawajiri (Editor) × Eishi Kitazawa(ggg Curator)
→recorded video is HERE *Japanese Only

Let’s talk about Eiko! vol.２
Speaker: Ryoichi Enomoto (Creative Director) x Koichi Kawajiri (Editor)
→recorded video is HERE *Japanese Only

Let’s talk about Eiko! vol.3
Speaker: Tomoe Shinohara（STUDEO）×Hiroaki Nagai（N.G.inc.）
Moderator: Koichi Kawajiri (Editor)
→recorded video is HERE *Japanese Only

Eiko Ishioka

Designer and art director
After graduating from the Tokyo University of the Arts, Eiko Ishioka joined Shiseido as a member of their advertising division in 1961. She distinguished herself with her work on posters featuring actress Bibari Maeda and other such projects, before opening her own agency. In the 1970s, she created and produced a number of groundbreaking campaigns, fashion shows, and book cover designs for Parco, publishing brand Kadokawa Bunko and others. After relocating her base to New York in the early 1980s, she further transcended borders by expanding the scope of her work to areas such as production design and costume design, receiving international acclaim in the form of awards including a Drama Desk Award for set design on the Broadway play M. Butterfly, a Grammy Award for artwork on Miles Davis’s album TUTU and an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. She has published the anthologies Eiko by Eiko and Eiko On Stage and authored a book entitled Watashi Dezain (“I Design”) among other works.