The Aesthetics of Emptiness
Kenya Hara is one of Japan's most influential designers. He heads the renowned Nippon Design Center, designed the ceremonies for the 1998 Nagano Olympics and is the art director of Mujirushi Ryōhin ('unbranded quality goods'), better known as Muji. The international chain of stores is known for its simply designed and elegant everyday products that bear neither a name nor a brand.
The inspiring aesthetic of emptiness - the historically evolved Japanese concept of simplicity - is at the heart of the Japanese designer's philosophy. His books "Designing Japan" and "White", which are available at Sato, are standard works that Kenya Hara, together with the renowned publisher and graphic designer Lars Müller, presented to a captivated audience in the courtyard of Sato in October 2019. It was an evening that inspired and encouraged people to rethink their own ideas of beauty.
