Toshiyuki Kita (b.1942) Japanese Furniture and Interior Designer

Toshiyuki Kita (b.1942) is a Japanese furniture and interior designer. He was born in Osaka and is an Osaka University of Arts professor. His earliest pieces, the Wink Chair and the Kick Table are in the New York City Museum of Modern Art. They are also in Hamburg, Germany’s Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe.

Biography

He set up his own design office in Osaka in 1964. In 1969, he began designing furniture for Italian and Japanese firms. Furthermore, he collaborated with Silvio Coppola, Giotto Stoppino, and Bepi Fiori for Bernini. He is best known for the 1980 Wink articulated armchair produced by Cassina. It took four years to design and had clients including Tribu, Interflex, and Sharp. Other work included the 1983 Kick table by Cassina. Also, the 1983 Tomo lamp by Lucci, the 1983 Tabola Altabasso table by Casadue, and the 1983 Icchio lamp by Yamagiwa. Additionally, the 1983 Bone-Rest chair by Johoku Mokko, the 1986 Urushi dinnerware range by Koshudo, and the 1989 Always table. He designed (with Keith Haring) the 1988 On Taro and Giro tables produced by Kreon. His designs are known for combining humour, technology, and comfort.

Promotion of Traditional Japanese Crafts

Very active in restoring and promoting local Japanese traditional crafts and industries. Producer of the international trade fair for home and lifestyle renovation, “Living & Design,” and proponent of Japanese lifestyle renovation, the “RENOVETTA” project. He has served as a governmental advisor to Singapore, Thailand, and China to revitalise its design resources. In 2015, his “Il Lusso Della Natura” invitational exhibition was held at Chiesa San Domenico Church in Alba, Italy.

Exhibitions

The Wink chair was shown at the 1981 Milan Furniture Fair. Also, at the 1983-84 ”Design Since 1945 ‘1945’ exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the 1991 ”Mobili Italiani 1961-1991: Le Varie Eta dei linguaggi” exhibition, Milan. He received the 1975 Japan Interior Design Award for his furniture designs—additionally, the Mainichi Design Award, and the 1981 Kitaro Kuni Industrial Arts Prize. In 1987, he participated in the tenth-anniversary celebration of Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.

Recognition

He received multiple international awards. These include the 1990 “Delta de Oro (Gold Prize)” Award of Spain and the ADI prize “Carrier Internazionale of Compasso d’Oro” of Italy in 2011.

He was bestowed with the honorary title of Commendatore by the Italian Republic in 2017.

Recent Publications

His recent publications include “Power of Design” (Nikkei Publishing Inc., 2007). Also, “Local Industry + Design” (Gakugei Shuppan-Sha, 2009). Furthermore, “Venture for Design 1969 – Why I Went to Italy to Design” (Gakugei Shuppan-Sha, 2012). There are many more. His DVD “Made with Heart and Soul”, a 20-minute documentary on Kita’s 40 years of collaboration with local Japanese traditional arts and craftsmanship, was awarded the Gold Prize of World Media Festival 2012 (Public Relations/Culture) at Hamburg, Germany, in 2012.

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL

Toshiyuki Kita. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.pamono.com.au/designers/toshiyuki-kita

Toshiyuki Kita: Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.toshiyukikita.com/en/profile

Toshiyuki Kita. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.mobilia.com.au/designers/toshiyuki-kita

Toshiyuki Kita. (n.d.). Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.cassina.com/ww/en/contemporanei/toshiyuki-kita.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2020, March 28). Toshiyuki Kita. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 02:44, December 7, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Toshiyuki_Kita&oldid=947861426

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