MILANO SALONE SATELLITE 2022

HALL1,3 A34

HIDEYUKI YAMAZAWA

 

TITLE                 Diversity of Imagination

STATEMENT      What did we “really” wish to be? Who are we really?

 

Concept

I designed this furniture with the concept of diversity of imagination.

In this design, I expressed the future of human dignity by exploring gender diversity and the future of current designs and worldviews.

Since I’m a male, when someone asks, “Are you a man?” I’ll respond “Yes.”

However, when they ask me again, this time with a serious expression on their face, “Are you a truly and honestly man?” I’m not so sure whether I’m a man or not.

My gender had already been decided for me, and I didn’t have opportunity to reflect about it, ask questions, or make decisions. However, some people do wonder in their minds, “Are you really a man (or a woman),” and I believe that living in a gender different than the medically assigned gender at birth is a great thing that is truly free, very human, and dignified.

This is true not only for gender, but also other aspects of our complex personalities.

Thinking about this, I came up with the concept of a world perspective with the broad interpretation of “I wish to be whatever(X)” and “I am actually whatever(X)”

The title of the design is “A child who wishes to be the sea and a child who wants to be a flower”.

“I want to be the sea,” one child says.

“I want to be a flower,” says the other child.

It’s simple for we grownups to tell children such fantasies are not possible or they are being foolish. But can’t we be willing to admit and support those thoughts? Is it truly “stupid” to have a childish, dreamy imagination? What did we “really” wish to be? Who are we really?

In this design, I portrayed the universe as seen through the eyes of children. I believe that they are the leading force for future design, feeling as they do and attempting to be who they want to be. I believe that the flowers and the sea reflected in a child’s heart are less concrete but far richer than their real-world counter parts. Flowers, butterflies, grass, leaves, sea, water, fish, and coral. These merged in my mind, embodying the vision that is so wonderfully reflected in my heart.

I made a design to try to give a global vision in a way that you can hear the diversity of human imagination and the voices of the questions that each person possesses.