Lounge
April 16, 2015
Divine of Creation | Reika Ito x Gwenael Nicolas (Part 1)
Spiritual healer Reika Ito invites creators active on various stages, reads the energy emitted by individuals, and combines it with multiple astrological techniques to appraise the source of their creativity. She uncovers past lives directly connected to the present and hidden potential, delving into the charm of the creators themselves, which often remains hidden behind their work.
Spiritual Dialogue Vol. 3 | Gwenael Nicolas
Portraits of Guests 'Seen' by Reika Ito
An Earthly Angel Delivering Light of Love and Joy to People (Part 1)
Why Japan? Why Design?
Our third guest is Gwenael Nicolas, a French designer and representative of Curiosity. After arriving in Japan in 1991, he has been active in a wide range of fields including architecture, interior design, product design, and graphic design. His recent works, themed around light, such as "LEXUS RX MUSEUM," "LIGHT-LIGHT IN TOKYO," and "TOKYO FIBER '09," are still fresh in our memory. This time, Reiko Miyamoto, a director and partner at Curiosity, joins us. Together, we will uncover the true nature of Nicolas.
text by OPENERSPhoto by Jamandfix
The Keyword to Understanding Nicolas: "Angel"
ItoShall we begin right away?
NicolasI'm very interested in fortune-telling. It reveals things you don't know about yourself, doesn't it? Did you feel anything when you met me?
ItoMay I get straight to the point? (laughs) When I first saw your office and your home above it, the first thing that struck me was... you have so many angels.
NicolasHere?
ItoYes. There are many childlike angels around you, Nicolas. You are protected by spirits that are like fairies and angels, with a playful and lovely aura. It also comes across that you yourself highly value feelings of joy, happiness, and excitement.
NicolasMm, yes...
Reika Ito
ItoI felt that you create from a very pure desire to create more and more things that bring you joy, happiness, and excitement, and to show them to many people.
Nicolas(Takes a deep breath) ...May I cry?
MiyamotoHis name is also Angel. "GWENAEL" means "White Angel" in Celtic.
A work said to be drawn by Nicolas's daughter
ItoWhat!? Really!?
NicolasSo, that means my whole family is around me.
ItoYes. The moment I entered the office, it was as if we connected, saying "Hello" (laughs). Amazing!
NicolasIt's interesting.
ItoI'm happy about that. Also, regarding past lives, your immediate past life before this birth was as a doctor. You have a very strong desire to help people, a truly kind and pure spirit. Actually, Miyamoto-san was also... a nurse you worked with.
AllWhaaaaaat!!!
NicolasThat's why I came to Japan.
MiyamotoWe won't be able to separate now (laughs).
ItoHahaha! Therefore, you have an absolute trust relationship as business partners. In terms of historical context, it was during wartime in Europe, and you had a strong desire to help the wounded soldiers, the civilians caught in the crossfire, and those truly in need. The reason you chose your current path is likely because seeing patients find joy brought you immense happiness while desperately providing care and treatment in a life-or-death hospital environment. Although you could only help alleviate pain and suffering, you wanted to convey that life can be this enjoyable, even before treatment. You are pursuing this path with the desire to give form to and provide things that make everyone happy.
"LIGHT-LIGHT IN TOKYO"
"LEXUS RX MUSEUM 2009"
A Designer's Calling from God
ItoFrom a fortune-telling perspective, regarding your social and career luck, your current profession is your calling. It's a job given by God. You have a destiny that allows you to blossom with many talents, regardless of genre or category. Since you work with the intention of enjoying it yourself and making those who see it happy, you wish to enjoy various things even more through your work.
Gwenael Nicolas
NicolasI didn't know the word "designer," but around the age of eight, when my mom asked me "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I answered, "I want to make toys." What "toys" meant to me as a child was "fun things." I imagined myself making toys and everyone playing with them. I'm still making toys, you know, adult toys (laughs).
ItoHahaha!
NicolasYoung people today know the word "design." But in the French countryside 20 years ago, I hadn't heard of it, nor did I know about this world. When I wanted to make toys, it was because I wanted to make people happy. In France, I was shy and didn't talk much, so objects were my means of communication.
ItoReally!? I can't imagine that (laughs).
NicolasWith objects, you can communicate through the reaction when someone sees them, right? For me, French felt ambiguous and didn't quite resonate, or perhaps it just didn't fit. That's why I was so happy when I discovered English. English is straightforward.
ItoYou realized your calling, or mission, at a very early age.
NicolasEven as a child, the dining table at home was like a workshop. I learned about the word "design" from my older brother, who is a movie director. We watched "Star Wars" together... it was a huge shock! What surprised me the most was that you could conceive of new worlds. Not a world constructed from things you know, but a world created from things that don't exist in our current world, imagined by an art director. I thought, "Wow, you can do that?" Until then, I had been making things like airplanes, things I knew, but this was free design. The fact that you could create new worlds and cultures was a massive shock.
When creating something, you might struggle knowing history. I have no memory, so I just have to create. That's why I'm not concerned with minute details and feel no pressure. I only remember the impression. What I can create from now on is not related to being French or from anywhere in the world. That's why I came to Japan.
Office & Residence "C-1 2005"
ItoIndeed. You came to Japan because you didn't want to be confined to a small space. Also, Japan is a country where things from all over the world converge. As a result of wanting a perspective that views the entire world with equal balance, your soul chose to come here.
NicolasMany people ask me why I chose Tokyo, but the place, Tokyo, was not important. Rather than changing the location, I wanted to change the time. Coming to Tokyo felt like going to the future, 10 years from now. At first, I wasn't even interested in Japanese culture. Because even for foreigners, it's hard to understand, and it just looks cool, right? So, when I came to Japan, I was very afraid of going to Kyoto. Because I like it so much, the thought of not understanding it was the most frightening. I wanted to refine my senses before accessing it. I don't know to what extent I understand it, but recently, I feel like I'm starting to grasp it little by little.
ItoIt seems you intuitively feel that Japan's unique traditions and the sense of 'wabi-sabi' express the delicate aspects of the human heart. That's why I believe you think the hurdle is too high unless you become capable of perceiving on a much broader scale. Because it's something precious, you want to incorporate it properly. It's a place you should visit after equipping yourself with an antenna that can receive it.
GWENAEL Nicolas
Born in France in 1966. Resides in Japan. Graduated from E.S.A.G. (Paris) with a degree in Interior Design and from the R.C.A. (London) with a degree in Industrial Design. After working as a freelancer, he established his own company, "Curiosity," in 1998. He is active in a wide range of fields including architecture, interior design, product design, and graphic design. His recent works, themed around light, such as "LEXUS RX MUSEUM," "LIGHT-LIGHT IN TOKYO," and "TOKYO FIBER '09," are still fresh in our memory.
ITO Reika
Representative Director, Divine Inc. / Spiritual Healer. After working in product planning, advertising, and corporate planning at companies in the apparel and accessories manufacturing and wholesale, and retail industries, she began her career as a light worker, offering destiny readings that combine channeling and reading with multiple astrological techniques, as well as healing and hypnotherapy. She receives many corporate appraisal requests from famous business leaders and has a track record of over 100,000 readings. Starting in July 2009, she will resume individual sessions in Jiyugaoka and begin workshops on full and new moons. Her books include "Synchronicity" and "Destiny Improvement Techniques." www.divine-msg.com