909 (imagen invertida de POP) es el nombre de la revista editada por la escuela japonesa de diseño Vantan. Después de nuestro encuentro en Tokio, sus editores me propusieron colaborar con ellos con una entrevista en la que reflexionar sobre el diseño, el proceso creativo, la profesión y mi apreciación sobre Japón. A continuación os dejo con la transcripción del brillante cuestionario realizado por Reimi Kojima en inglés para esta entrevista que salió publicada en el número de marzo de esta revista sobre diseño y creatividad que se distribuye gratuitamente en el área de Tokio.
"CREATIVITY BORN AND BRED IN BARCELONA" :
"Suitability and simplicity is the key of good design"
*JAVIPOP THE DESIGNER
-Could you tell me about your life briefly?
All my life I´ve been interested in the making of things. I remember as a kid playing with wooden construction blocks and being fascinated with the shapes and colors. Helping my father doing DIY at home did the rest. In that sense, I´ve always tried to stay connected with the creative side of things.
-Basically, what do you design?
I design everything I need to communicate the idea behind a display. Window dressing is a discipline very related with set design and if you can´t find the object that match with your concept, then you have to design it.
-I saw the pics of display using a doll sailor and I liked it very much. Could you tell me more about it?
It have to do with the book of the French writer Jean Cocteau that they were promoting at the bookstore at that moment. I was looking for a provocative image that would capture the attention of the passersby and I found this old beefcake vintage image that was just perfect. And it really worked! The people stopped in front of the shop window and took pictures all the time.
-What kind of thing do you do as a visual merchandiser? Actually, I´m not familiar with it.
As a visual merchandiser I take care of the whole image of the store and the correct presentation of products, as well as developing marketing strategies.
-Why did you start to work as a designer?
We work most of our lives and have little time to enjoy, so I decided to work doing things I like.
**TRAVELING AND INSPIRATION
-Do you travel around for your work?
Not for work, but I do get a lot of inspiration from the things I see during my vacations.
-Where´s your favorite country?
Japan is definitely at the top of the list. It have everything I look for in my vacations: interesting things to see, good food and nice people.
-How is Japan different from others countries?
I think Japan is different because they have known how to keep the balance between tradition and modernity, and that is very appealing to visitors.
-Please, tell me about what you are exactly thinking while you are walking on the street in Japan.
I´m amazed at how Japanese people are always rushing from one place to another but they don´t seem stressed.
-Could you describe what kind of city do you live now? Do you love where you are?
Barcelona is a very nice city by the sea, not very big, not too small and where you can enjoy an interesting cultural scene, nice weather and good food. People from Barcelona, we do like traveling, but we always come back. We´re not to blame for that, I guess we just love the city.
-How do you usually spend your free time?
I like going out for a walk and see what´s happening in my city: exhibitions, shops, movies, concerts.
-What is the source of the imagination? (By what kind of things do you get inspired usually?)
Sometimes you can get inspired by the most unusual things, but I do get a lot of inspiration from magazines, books, art exhibitions and music.
-Do you think that there is kind of a consistent factor in what you are basically attracted?
I try to be very open minded to the feeling of the moment, since I think that it is very important in this profession to be aware of the different trends, but I must admit that I feel very attracted to everything from the eighties period.
***ABOUT DESIGN-Do you have any memorable jobs you could never forget?
Each new project is a challenge, and since I always try to do my best, I can remember at least one good thing about each job, so it´s really hard for me to choose one.-How did you feel when your very first project became reality?
I always feel the same. At first I feel very anxious, but when I finally see that the idea really works and is well appreciated then I feel fulfilled. Afterwards I try to be critic with my work in order to improve my designs, and then move to the next thing.-What´s the key of good design?
Suitability and simplicity, even though sometimes you have to let yourself go through some chaos to get there.-Simple but impressive. I think this is a very complicated idea and difficult to express, isn´t this?
Yes, but I do think that we designers know very well about that process when you have different ideas until you find the good one, and sometimes it was the first that you had in mind. Creativity, that´s the story of our lives!-Have you ever felt depressed like thinking about quitting or just giving up what you do?
No way, giving up is not an option.-If you could design the country, Japan, how would you do that?
I could never do that because the thing I like most about Japan is its culture and how different it is from the rest of the world.-If you could take only one thing with you from your room to a desert island, what would you take?
Since music always put me in a good mood I would definitely take my Ipod. And a solar battery charger!-And what is the thing which makes you pissed off the most?
Intolerance.-Do you have anything you´d like to design someday?
A special container that could be transformed into different kinds of furniture, depending on the necessity.
-And now the final question. What is "POP" for you?
Anything that makes you feel good.
"Suitability and simplicity is the key of good design"
*JAVIPOP THE DESIGNER
-Could you tell me about your life briefly?
All my life I´ve been interested in the making of things. I remember as a kid playing with wooden construction blocks and being fascinated with the shapes and colors. Helping my father doing DIY at home did the rest. In that sense, I´ve always tried to stay connected with the creative side of things.
-Basically, what do you design?
I design everything I need to communicate the idea behind a display. Window dressing is a discipline very related with set design and if you can´t find the object that match with your concept, then you have to design it.
-I saw the pics of display using a doll sailor and I liked it very much. Could you tell me more about it?
It have to do with the book of the French writer Jean Cocteau that they were promoting at the bookstore at that moment. I was looking for a provocative image that would capture the attention of the passersby and I found this old beefcake vintage image that was just perfect. And it really worked! The people stopped in front of the shop window and took pictures all the time.
-What kind of thing do you do as a visual merchandiser? Actually, I´m not familiar with it.
As a visual merchandiser I take care of the whole image of the store and the correct presentation of products, as well as developing marketing strategies.
-Why did you start to work as a designer?
We work most of our lives and have little time to enjoy, so I decided to work doing things I like.
**TRAVELING AND INSPIRATION
-Do you travel around for your work?
Not for work, but I do get a lot of inspiration from the things I see during my vacations.
-Where´s your favorite country?
Japan is definitely at the top of the list. It have everything I look for in my vacations: interesting things to see, good food and nice people.
-How is Japan different from others countries?
I think Japan is different because they have known how to keep the balance between tradition and modernity, and that is very appealing to visitors.
-Please, tell me about what you are exactly thinking while you are walking on the street in Japan.
I´m amazed at how Japanese people are always rushing from one place to another but they don´t seem stressed.
-Could you describe what kind of city do you live now? Do you love where you are?
Barcelona is a very nice city by the sea, not very big, not too small and where you can enjoy an interesting cultural scene, nice weather and good food. People from Barcelona, we do like traveling, but we always come back. We´re not to blame for that, I guess we just love the city.
-How do you usually spend your free time?
I like going out for a walk and see what´s happening in my city: exhibitions, shops, movies, concerts.
-What is the source of the imagination? (By what kind of things do you get inspired usually?)
Sometimes you can get inspired by the most unusual things, but I do get a lot of inspiration from magazines, books, art exhibitions and music.
-Do you think that there is kind of a consistent factor in what you are basically attracted?
I try to be very open minded to the feeling of the moment, since I think that it is very important in this profession to be aware of the different trends, but I must admit that I feel very attracted to everything from the eighties period.
***ABOUT DESIGN-Do you have any memorable jobs you could never forget?
Each new project is a challenge, and since I always try to do my best, I can remember at least one good thing about each job, so it´s really hard for me to choose one.-How did you feel when your very first project became reality?
I always feel the same. At first I feel very anxious, but when I finally see that the idea really works and is well appreciated then I feel fulfilled. Afterwards I try to be critic with my work in order to improve my designs, and then move to the next thing.-What´s the key of good design?
Suitability and simplicity, even though sometimes you have to let yourself go through some chaos to get there.-Simple but impressive. I think this is a very complicated idea and difficult to express, isn´t this?
Yes, but I do think that we designers know very well about that process when you have different ideas until you find the good one, and sometimes it was the first that you had in mind. Creativity, that´s the story of our lives!-Have you ever felt depressed like thinking about quitting or just giving up what you do?
No way, giving up is not an option.-If you could design the country, Japan, how would you do that?
I could never do that because the thing I like most about Japan is its culture and how different it is from the rest of the world.-If you could take only one thing with you from your room to a desert island, what would you take?
Since music always put me in a good mood I would definitely take my Ipod. And a solar battery charger!-And what is the thing which makes you pissed off the most?
Intolerance.-Do you have anything you´d like to design someday?
A special container that could be transformed into different kinds of furniture, depending on the necessity.
-And now the final question. What is "POP" for you?
Anything that makes you feel good.
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