Packaging
“Product Design Exhibition of Shiseido and Suntory” to be Held at Tokyo University of the Arts
Wednesday 18. March 2009 - Shiseido Co., Ltd., Suntory Limited and Tokyo University of the Arts will kick off a joint project featuring the "Product Design Exhibition of Shiseido and Suntory" to be held at the Chinretsukan Gallery, The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts (address: 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo) from May 13 to June 1, 2009.
Shiseido and Suntory have been utilizing a number of in-house designers, placing a key focus on the power of design in their business activities. This exhibition will showcase approximately 400 selected products created by both companies, such as cosmetics and beverage products that have led and reflected the particular times and cultures spanning more than a century since the two companies were founded.
More than a Century of Design
Product design not only conveys the role and function of products but also projects a companys identity, exerts an influence on the eras lifestyles and sensibilities as well as personifies peoples dreams and ideals. Up until now, Shiseido and Suntory have been pursuing beauty and delicious taste, respectively, together with introducing a host of products with new value.
Shiseido was established as Japans first Western-style pharmacy in 1872 and subsequently entered the cosmetics business with the launch of Eudermine skin lotion in 1897. The Design Department (currently Advertising Creation Department) in charge with designing products was established in 1916 and developed unique designs emphasizing the beauty of blank space by adopting art nouveau, art deco and arabesque styles. In this way, Shiseido has been carrying on the legacy of its first presidents words, “Let the product speak for itself.”
Suntory originally began business operations as the Torii Shoten store in 1899. Akadama Port Wine, the first wine suited to Japanese tastes, was launched in 1907, followed by the development of the whisky, beer, beverage and other businesses. Since its founding, the company has aspired to create designs which give shape to the spirit of products by proposing new value to the world with a stance of “Yatte Minahare (Go for it!)”.
Although cosmetics and beverages fall into two different categories, both companies products, which have been providing richness to various aspects of peoples lives, vividly reflect the era and culture and design in which they were created. In this respect, it can be said that both companies have a significant respect for each others passion for product design.
At the same time, Tokyo Fine Arts School, the forerunner of Tokyo University of the Arts, was established in 1887. In 1896, the school instituted the Zuan Course (currently Department of Design). Since then, the school has been one of the bases of design education in Japan and served as a driving force to reflect the life and culture of each time and era on design. The University Art Museum discovers new value by collecting, archiving and studying art works and other materials as well as exhibits and makes such findings available to the public. By utilizing the characteristics of the actual sites of production and educational research, the fundamental philosophy of the museum is directed toward functioning as an unprecedented experimental museum. For that reason, since 2005 the museum has been holding the “Corporate Design Series”*. The upcoming “Product Design Exhibition of Shiseido and Suntory,” which is the third in the series, will be held at the Chinretsukan Gallery, one of the universitys exhibition facilities, and will feature an overview of both companies history of product design spanning more than a century.
*First exhibition: “Iichiko Design Exhibition,” 2005; second exhibition: “East Japan Railway Company: Designs of the Railway Exhibition,” 2007
Reference
Overview of Exhibition
Name of exhibition: 3rd Corporate Design Series
“Product Design Exhibition of Shiseido and Suntory”
– over a century of design by Shiseido & Suntory –
Dates: May 13 (Wednesday) to June 1st (Monday), 2009
Location: Chinretsukan Gallery of The University Art Museum at Tokyo University of the Arts, 1F & 2F Exhibition Halls (Total area: 423m2) 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo
Closed: Open all days during exhibition period
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (entry up until 6:30 p.m.)
Entrance fee: Free of charge
Sponsor: Executive Committee of “Product Design Exhibition of Shiseido and Suntory”
(Shiseido Co., Ltd., Suntory Limited and Tokyo University of the Arts)
Cooperation: Yamada Photo Process Inc., Takeo Co., Ltd. and Nomura Co., Ltd.