An exhibition by three illustrators working on the front line on design was held at the Ginza Graphic Gallery (ggg). Their art is completely different. (It’s also difficult to define whether they are illustrators or artists.)

Keiji Ito “24 Jazz Funk Greats”

Their drawings on big canvases were exhibited on the walls that face in three different directions. Their themes were; “24 Jazz Funk Greats” for Keiji Ito, “Illustration for Hospital” for Hiroki Taniguchi and “Against the Dessin” for Hiro Sugiyama.

Hiroki Taniguchi “Illustration for Hospital”

Their works reminded me how to enjoy pictures from the softness and strength of their lines and the type of painting brought by hand drawing. It is an analogue world which can’t be undone, it is not the world of 0 and 1. Only people who “draw pictures because they want to” can create such a comfortable space.

Hiro Sugiyama “Against the Dessin”

Going underground, rare rough sketches or materials for collages which might be the source of their inspiration were also exhibited.

“Illustration Viewer 1” edited, written and designed by the three of them for this exhibition was also released. Apart from the works, an essay on pictures by Shigeo Goto which discussed their works makes a comparison and interviews the three of them as they talk about “the moment an inspiration comes” or “things that inspired them”. I would like to put this small-B6 size-book with a hard cover at a place where I can always see it. It is a very lovely book.

Keiji Ito, Hiroki Taniguchi, Hiro Sugiyama Exhibition
Date: February 4th – 28th, 2004
Open: 11:00 – 19:00 (Closed on Sunday)
Place: Ginza Graphic Gallery (ggg)
Address: 1F Ginza Bild., 7-7-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81 (0)3 3571 5206
https://www.dnp.co.jp/gallery/ggg/