We used to think that technology products could only be invented with a big budget and production. However, fantasistas enabled technology products to be made for the future using different approches with their creativity.

chiaki murata “METAPHYS susuki” / Photo: Tomohiro Okada

“Susuki” , a light like a flowing thin rice ear by Aki Muratachi can make flows with only subtle atmosphere. Aki Muratachi designed this light collaborating with monozukuri companies in Osaka that have high production and development skills. This is also the newest work done for home appliance series called “Metaphys“. The light has intricate and delicate beauty because of its ephemeral shimmer using LED. It cannot be done only with functional beauty. High technique and art of monozukuri elevated its quality to art.

MATSUYAMA Junichi “hana no ne” / Photo: Tomohiro Okada

There is also a product by a fantasista who applied an unique approach. Junichi Matsuyama, a desigher based in Nara independently accomplished monozukuri and technology. Matsuyama’s works are switches that connect machines and human. His “write-bulb” is a light that lights up by using it as a drawing pencil. His “Hana no ne”, is a switch that controls the volume by arranging flowers. “I’m home” is a place to keep unused antique keys and it can be lit up with by using a key. This is an embodiment of Matsuyama’s sincere wish to enrich our mind by using machines.

KUWAKUBU Ryota “uturina” / Photo: Tomohiro Okada

Kuwakubo Ryota exhibited a new work called “Utsurina” in 2 years. Utsurina is a work that emulates blinks between visuals by using LED lights. It visualizes light visual scences that we want to keep in mind and convert them to light fragility. This derives from his approach to visualize sensitivity that exists before product.

Fantasistas have different and unique backgrounds such as media artist, interaction designer, independent artist, interactive advertising master. The development of technology has changed creative potentiality and that made art, design, and technology to become more cross-over. I think this crossover is a new world where we can discover art and design for ourselves. And, this should be the near future that these electorical fantasistas enabled us to see.

Bascule “Gyorol” / Photo: Tomohiro Okada

In Electorical Fantasista 2008, mobile phones can be used to fish.

Electrical Fantasista 2008
Date: July 18th – August 6th, 2008
Time: 13:00-19:00
Place: ZAIM
Address: 34 Nihon Odori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Admission: 700yen (Free under elementary school, 500yen for under college)
Contact: 045-222-7030 (ZAIM) / 050-2404-3359 (Creative Cluster)
yokohama@creativecluster.jp (Creative Cluster)
http://fantasista.creativecluster.jp

Host: Creative Cluster
Co-host: ZAIM
Grant: Japan Arts Counci
Patrons: Agency for Cutural Affairs / City of Yokohama / CG-ARTS Association
Sponcers: KTB / AOI DIGITAL CREATION
Cooperation: SolidAlliance / CMMD / TAGUCHI CRAFT / TRY-A
Planning and produce: Tomohiro Okada

Text and photos: Tomohiro Okada
Translation: Masanori Sugiura