BOOK | A rising designer's "personal memories" become photographic works
BOOK | Designer Maiko Kurokouchi’s “Personal Memory” Becomes Photographic Work
The Brand’s First Photobook, “Personal Memory,” is Released; An Exhibition is Held
A rising female designerMaiko KurokouchiThe brand “mame,” helmed by Maiko Kurokouchi, will release its first photobook, “Personal Memory,” on Monday, April 7th. It will be released in a limited edition of 300 copies. In advance of this, a preview sale of the photobook and an installation by photographer Jiro Konami, who worked on the photography, will be held at Omotesando GYRE from Wednesday, March 19th to Monday, March 24th.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Talk Show by Kurokouchi and Konami Also Planned
"Maiko Kurokouchi Photo: Kenshu Shintsubo"
Born in 1985, Maiko Kurokouchi is a designer drawing attention as one of the “under 30” generation. After working in planning and design for the Issey Miyake Paris Collection, she established Kurokouchi Design Office in 2010 and launched her own brand, “mame.”
The concept for “mame’s” Spring/Summer 2014 and Autumn/Winter 2014 collections, marking the brand’s fourth year, is “Personal Memory,” an exploration of her roots. Kurokouchi herself traveled to Nagano, where her grandmother lives, and the collection reflects her life there.
The photobook was created by photographer Jiro Konami, who, despite his young age of 27, is active across a wide range of fields. Last year, he also received high acclaim for his photobook “Looking at My Father,”Looking at My Fatherwhich captured his own father, marking him as an artist with great future potential.
Jiro Konami
The photobook “Personal Memory,” born from the collaboration of these two young talents, features photographs taken by Konami in Nagano Prefecture, Kurokouchi’s hometown. Through Konami’s lens, fragments of Kurokouchi’s memories, which served as the inspiration for the collection, are presented as a series of images. While leaving the viewer’s connection to the subject ambiguous, the work invites viewers into their own “personal memory.”
The exhibition will include a preview sale of the photobook, as well as a talk show with Kurokouchi and Konami on Sunday, March 23rd, from 6:30 PM. An engaging discussion is anticipated from these two talented young artists.
Exhibition “Personal Memory”
Dates | Wednesday, March 19th – Monday, March 24th
Venue | GYRE
5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3498-6990
Talk Event
Date | Sunday, March 23rd
Time | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Venue | GYRE
Moderator | Yohei Kawata (Editor)
Photobook “Personal Memory”
Publisher/Distributor | Kurokouchi Design Office
Specifications | B5, Modified
Edition | Limited to 300 copies
Price | ¥4,860
Release Date | Monday, April 7th