INDEX
Design World’s Pop Icon
In the 1960s, amidst Japan’s rapid economic growth, Tanaami began his career as a designer. The early part of the exhibition features works from the 1960s and 1970s. His creations span multiple fields, including posters, screenprints, oil paintings with collage, and animation. The array of posters displayed across the walls is truly impressive.
Among the vibrant colors, the black-and-white “Portrait of Keiichi Tanaami” stands out. These are original illustrations from an early artist book that Tanaami self-published as a sort of calling card. The stylish composition, reminiscent of Félix Vallotton’s prints, highlights the painter’s mastery of structure and line work.
Editor’s Note: Félix Vallotton was an artist active in Paris from the late 19th to early 20th century, known for his monochrome prints. The Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Marunouchi, Tokyo, holds a substantial collection of his works.
The technique of using ties as a “second canvas,” which appears throughout Tanaami’s early works, is particularly intriguing. The ties, stretched out like an image within an image, serve as “windows” bringing in other visuals. It’s fascinating to think that, at the time, a man’s tie might indeed have been a place for self-expression.
The exhibition also features actual copies of popular magazines that Tanaami art-directed, such as PLAYBOY and Young Music. On closer inspection, these too incorporate tie designs.
