Illuminating innovation with Tokujin Yoshioka

Tokujin Yoshioka is a world-famous Japanese designer and artist known for his work across three worlds: design, architecture and contemporary art. From extraordinary masterpieces such as the Sakura Torch for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to the Rainbow Church, Yoshioka’s works are first admired and then exhibited all over the world in establishments like the Museum of Modern Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. This interview tracks his journey and inspiration, capturing the very essence of the mixing of art, design and light that his work carries.

hube: What inspired you to become involved in design, architecture, and contemporary art?

Tokujin Yoshioka: I have created works with the desire to naturally realize my vision, regardless of genre. I think that people objectively describe whether my work is art or design. I also like to create ideas that make the impossible possible or innovative ideas within the context of unresolved problems and predetermined constraints, which are often described as design. I also believe it is wonderful to express ideas freely, as in art. With that said, I consider myself a natural creator.

h: Could you reflect on your experience working under Shiro Kuramata and Issey Miyake and how it influenced your creative approach?

TY: Both Mr. Kuramata and Mr. Miyake were open to various values and perspectives and I greatly respected them. They accepted my ideas with curiosity and gave me many opportunities. I am glad that through various projects, I was able to convey many things to people around the world.

h: Your work spans various mediums, from glass to natural crystals to paper. What draws you to experiment with such diverse materials?

TY: I have always had a desire to create something timeless and something that has never been seen before. I have always felt that there is no longer anything new in the expression of forms, and I have created works inspired by the various senses that human beings can feel. In this context, light and other natural phenomena are very important elements. Using natural phenomena to create works of art is one of the themes that I have pursued throughout my creations.

h: The Sakura Torch for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games garnered significant attention. Could you share the inspiration behind its design and the process of creating it?

TY: A few years before the announcement that Tokyo was to host the 2020 Olympics, Japan was hit by a major earthquake and tsunami. That event drew me to design a torch that would connect with the thoughts and feelings of those people in the disaster-hit area, and we made the torches from the aluminium used for temporary housing in the disaster area.

In spring, the cherry blossom front travels across Japan. The cherry blossom season has such a positive atmosphere, making the whole of Japan happy. The most important purpose of the torch project was to help heal the suffering caused by the earthquake and tsunami and to become a beacon of hope. I believe that the design must be innovative and unprecedented. Therefore, it was not only about figurative beauty, but I also designed the innovative manufacturing technique itself. My invention was a one-piece torch made by cutting extruded aluminium into a product that functions as a torch. In this way, I believe that the Sakura Torch has become an innovative and historic torch.

h: Your pieces often merge art with functionality, such as the glass bench Water Block and the glass teahouse KOU-AN. How do you balance aesthetic appeal with practicality in your designs?

TY: Beauty is one of the most important and attractive features. It is the most important thing, and I like very much those things that fuse it with intelligent ideas. I believe beauty is enhanced when function and ideas are integrated into it.

h: The Rainbow Church is a stunning example of your architectural work. What inspired you to create an architecture focused on human perception of light?

TY: A major theme in my creations is light. To express this, I use transparent materials such as glass, which is the medium closest to light. I am also interested in creating architecture with light itself. The Rainbow Church is light itself.

h: Many of your works involve intricate processes, such as growing natural crystals for the VENUS – Natural crystal chair. How do you approach the intersection of craftsmanship and innovation in your creations?

TY: First, an idea comes to me, and then I take the time to research and experiment.
This is what makes me different from other creators, I think. The idea is something that does not exist in the world, so the process of research and experimentation is a very important element of my work. The process is dramatic and fascinating, like a movie, so I showed that part of the process as part of the works of the Crystallized Project. I think that for some good and innovative products or pieces of art, the process itself is also fascinating and attracts people.