In the 11th installment of "POGGY'S FILTER," hosted by Motoki "POGGY" Poggy, we focus on "2G," a new studio opening on the 2nd floor of the newly renovated Shibuya PARCO, which will grand open on Friday, November 22nd. "2G" is a completely new studio, unique in the world, comprised of three elements: an "art gallery" operated by NANZUKA of Shibuya, an "art toy shop" centered around limited-edition BE@RBRICKs by Medicom Toy, and a "select shop" curated by POGGY and DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL. We invited Masashi Minamizuka, owner of NANZUKA, and Tatsuhiko Akashi, President and CEO of Medicom Toy, to discuss the concept of "2G," the role Shibuya PARCO has played, and the current borderless landscape of art, fashion, and toys.

POGGYI first met Mr. Minamizuka in 2013, introduced by Mr. Okishima from Stussy when Keiichi Tanaami and Stussy collaborated.

MinamizukaWe said, 'Let's do something together sometime.' Then, when we held a Daniel Arsham exhibition at our gallery in 2015, POGGY created T-shirts for us.

POGGYI was introduced to Mr. Akashi by Tomohiro Konno from NEXUSVII. Mr. Konno wanted to create vintage gentleman's toys.

AkashiThat's right. Mr. Konno is also the brand director for our Sync. brand.

POGGYThe plan was to sell them at UNITED ARROWS & SONS, but...

AkashiIt ultimately didn't happen, did it?

MinamizukaWere these toys dolls?

AkashiYes. They were large, like ventriloquist dummies. However, due to the age of the items, we couldn't sort out the rights. We could have made them if we changed the face, but that would have gone against Mr. Konno's concept, so the project fell through.

MinamizukaThen, shall we make a gentleman doll with POGGY's face for "2G"? With interchangeable hats (laughs). Mr. Akashi and I have a long history of collaboration, having produced BE@RBRICKs of Hajime Sorayama and Keiichi Tanaami, who are artists represented by our gallery.

AkashiIt was about a year ago that the three of us started the "2G" project, wasn't it?

POGGYInitially, PARCO approached you, Mr. Minamizuka, didn't they?

MinamizukaAt that time, it wasn't a concrete proposal, but rather an inquiry about adding art content to the new Shibuya PARCO. However, I didn't envision simply transplanting our gallery into PARCO. So, without their consent, I proposed to PARCO that it would be interesting if POGGY and Medicom Toy could run a store together. To my surprise, PARCO was very enthusiastic about the idea.

AkashiActually, around the same time, we were approached by a different floor at PARCO. However, that floor's concept was focused on characters and animation. Since we have a directly managed store, "1/6計画," just a five-minute walk away, I felt it might create a conflict. So, when Mr. Minamizuka approached me with his idea, I thought, 'That's interesting, let's do it.'

POGGYI thought it was incredibly interesting too. From my experience in buying, I've noticed that in recent years, outside of fashion weeks, there's been an increase in festival-like events worldwide that bring together fashion, art, and toys for people to enjoy. For example, in the US, there's "ComplexCon," in China, "YO'HOOD," and Edison Chen's "innersect." I attended ComplexCon once, and there were long lines for Medicom Toy's BE@RBRICKs; the whole venue was buzzing.

AkashiIt's fascinating how these borderless events have started happening simultaneously in various locations.

POGGYMr. Minamizuka came up with the name "2G" for the studio.

MinamizukaBecause we handle Harumi Yamaguchi, one of our affiliated artists, I had the opportunity to research the history of PARCO when writing a press release, as Ms. Yamaguchi had worked on their advertisements. Tsūji Masuda, the founding president, created Shibuya PARCO in the 70s by incorporating a theater and a museum, and he branded it by selecting women as creative directors. This was around the time when women's advancement in society was being discussed, which later led to the Equal Employment Opportunity Law. I proposed the name "2G" out of respect for Mr. Masuda's foresight and philosophical approach, which set it apart from other department stores and defined PARCO's unique identity.

AkashiI was certainly aware of Mr. Masuda, but when Mr. Minamizuka approached me, I read his book, "The Opening Bell Has Sounded: Welcome to Theater Masuda," and I was struck by how challenging it must have been. Everyone apparently told him it would never succeed because the location was a kilometer away from Shibuya Station. He faced considerable opposition.

MinamizukaHe must have believed in the power of creativity enough to overcome such negative factors. Even with Seibu and Tokyu department stores closer to the station, Shibuya PARCO's brand power truly developed the Park Street area and made it a hub for youth culture. As a museum, it hosted many artists that wouldn't typically be shown in general art museums, such as KAWS's first solo exhibition in Japan (March 16 - April 16, 2001, "KAWS TOKYO FIRST" @ PARCO Gallery).

AkashiIncidentally, the name "PARCO" was originally intended to be "Big Bear."

MinamizukaThat's an interesting thought in itself. Let's make a 10-meter Big Bearbrick and put it there sometime (laughs).

AkashiHowever, apparently, an economics professor advised against it, saying that "Big Bear" implies stock market volatility and economic stagnation. Knowing the backstory, I really feel the passion of someone who loved theater, art, and craftsmanship. I hope we can carry that forward in a good way, much like Astro Baseball Club inherited Eiji Sawamura's legacy (laughs).

POGGYI used to go to PARCO often when I lived in Sapporo, and after moving to Tokyo in 1997, I worked at the UNITED ARROWS Shibuya Park Street store, which was right in front of Shibuya PARCO, so it holds a lot of meaning for me. I often visited for things other than fashion, like graffiti exhibitions or concerts at Quattro (a live music venue operated by PARCO, Shibuya Quattro opened in 1988). So, the project and the name "2G" instantly resonated with me. Also, in this era of digital 4G and 5G, choosing "2G" is quite interesting.

MinamizukaI remember lining up for the New Year's sale in the cold when I was in junior high school.

POGGYMr. Minamizuka, Harumi Yamaguchi did the advertising for PARCO's Grand Bazaar, didn't she? Did you remember that?

MinamizukaI have a vague memory of seeing commercials from the 80s when I was young. I first met Ms. Yamaguchi about ten years ago at the opening of Mr. Sorayama's exhibition. However, it took about seven years before we held her first exhibition at our gallery (February 28 - April 4, 2015, "HARUMI GALS" @ NANZUKA). She was quite hesitant to agree. She's an elegant, stylish, and lovely person.

AkashiShe's a wonderful person. My most vivid memory of PARCO is from junior high school. I couldn't afford the clothes, but I thought I could buy socks. When I paid, it turned out to be 5,000 yen per pair, not 500 yen.

MinamizukaThat's expensive! (laughs)

POGGYDid you buy them?

AkashiI couldn't say no (laughs). I have many memories, but that one stands out the most. The DC brands back then were quite assertive (laughs).

POGGYYou've loved fashion since then, haven't you? Mr. Akashi, you keep a close eye on new brands like sulvam, don't you? The other day, I was curious about the clothes you were wearing and asked, 'What is that?' You told me, 'It's M A S U (a brand by a Japanese designer in their 20s). You should check it out.' I went to their exhibition, and it was fantastic.

AkashiTheir last exhibition was truly excellent. I bought almost the entire collection. Since there was nowhere to buy it, I contacted them directly, and they invited me to their showroom. I ended up buying a lot from their past archives. Then I told POGGY, 'You absolutely must see it,' and he immediately decided to buy from them.

POGGYStarting next spring/summer, we will be carrying M A S U at "2G." The designer previously worked at "LAILA VINTAGE" and was also involved in the launch of "seven by seven."

AkashiHis designs are inspired by vintage clothing, aren't they?

POGGYFor the select shop at "2G," we're collaborating with DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL to launch a label called P-ROOM THE WORLD. We'll be carrying brands like Mp Massimo Piombo, ALYX, and HYSTERIC GLAMOUR. I expect a diverse mix of items. We'll also handle vintage clothing, allowing me to curate freely without constraints.

AkashiThe interior design was handled by the New York-based design team Snarkitecture, but the art gallery, select shop, and art toy shop aren't entirely separate spaces.

MinamizukaThe gallery is set up for exhibitions, but we'll be displaying apparel and BE@RBRICKs created in collaboration with the artists. This creates a cohesive connection throughout the space, and I believe the lines between Medicom Toy and POGGY's offerings will significantly overlap. When overseas artists see the T-shirts we've produced for Tanaami and Sorayama over the years, they all say, 'We want to do that too.' European artists, in particular, have very few opportunities for apparel collaborations, and their galleries are often restrictive. So, I'm eager to pursue these collaborations.

AkashiWhen I was approached with this proposal, two flags were raised in my mind. First, collaborations with artists Mr. Minamizuka selects for the gallery. Second, creating original works by young creators connected to art, hoping that synergy will lead to POGGY creating clothing or Mr. Minamizuka curating exhibitions in the future.

MinamizukaThe first exhibition at the gallery will be a collaboration between Sorayama, who designed the "2G" logo, and Daniel Arsham.

POGGYI've created T-shirts and hoodies using their artwork, as well as custom-ordered MA-1 jackets, shirts, jackets, iPhone cases, mobile batteries, and RETAW car tags from Alpha Industries. The BE@RBRICK from Medicom Toy has a unique paint finish on each side.

BE@RBRICK TM & © 2001-2019 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

MinamizukaWasn't it very difficult to produce this?

AkashiIt was extremely difficult. Structurally, it combines plating and water printing, and honestly, I don't even know how they achieved it. Furthermore, Daniel requested that the lines not be flat, with the boundaries separated by curves. I highly recommend seeing this in person.