Geiko Golden Jubilee: Design Philosophy Bar “Provoke Bar”, Design Foundation Serial Symposium

At Design Philosophy Bar “Provoke Bar” leaders of their fields in education, design, and editing gather from both within and without Japan to discuss and consider the provoking ideas each brings together in one place—all with a drink in hand. There were six entries to this symposium, jointly sponsored by Musashino Art University Department of Science of Design and Kyushu University Faculty of Design.

Design Foundation Serial Symposium, Provoke Bar, was a series in which perceptive questions were raised from various perspectives including modeling, symbols, meaning, methods, and values, regarding fundamental problems such as under what conditions is design established, whether that can be referred to as academic study, and what the purpose of it is.

Each time, there were many participants, and lively discussions were held to the point that the lack of time was keenly felt. Through the entire series, I strongly felt that up until now, there had rarely been a place to discuss such problems to such depths.

Many questions raised left a deep impression. One of them was the discussion of how the power to rebel was born in life to go against the pressures of nature, and the shape is fixed when both sides are equal. The shapes of the bodies of living things are fixed as the result of a biological adaptation to nature. Moreover, in addition to such biological adaptation, humans are also culturally adapted. This is art – in other words, a technological mold.

Such discussions do not give people who are troubled about what and how to design a practical guideline. Also, they will likely not satisfy people who are looking to gain knowledge about the trends of design.

However, even so, the event attended by many participating designers was filled with enthusiasm. It is likely that such discussions, even though not substantiating anything, provide a new perspective from which to look at things. In accordance with the possibility that such a way of looking at things exists, the world and humans appear, having taken on new forms. In that sense, that dubious discussion possesses “productivity.”

Philosophy refers to such endeavors. Doubting the root of things, proposing arguments that are impossible to substantiate and can only be guessed at, and calling upon new meanings and forms. When such executions of philosophy merge with design, I think that is when new possibilities come to life. The entire six-part series allowed me to fully experience such fruitfulness.

I am grateful to the many people who came to the venue, and the many relevant parties who supported this project.

Toru Koga

Geiko Golden Jubilee:
Design Philosophy Bar “Provoke Bar”

Session 1
7/27 (Friday), 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Konya 2023
Title: When a Design is Made
Provocateurs: Takaaki Bando, Hisayasu Ihara
Coordinator: Toru Koga

Session 2
8/3 (Friday) 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Sanbon
Title: You Don’t Need the Basics to Practice Design (Do you?)
Provocateurs: Hiroaki Kawanami, Yutaka Yamauchi
Coordinator: Moe Shimomura

Session 3
8/17 (Friday) 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Konya 2023
Title: Can You Teach Design?
Speakers: Shin Hee-kyong, Akiyo Kobayashi
Coordinator: Minako Ikeda

Session 4
8/30 (Thursday) 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Konya 2023
Title: Designing with Continuous Editing
Provocateurs: Keiichiro Fujisaki, Minako Ikeda
Coordinator: Toru Koga

Session 5
8/31 (Friday) 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Konya 2023
Title: Design as an Element of Change
Provocateurs: Akiyo Kobayashi, Toru Koga
Coordinator: Hisayasu Ihara

Session 6 (Final)
9/7 (Friday) 7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.
Location: Reizensou
Title: The Humanism of Design 2.0
Provocateurs: Minako Ikeda, Hisayasu Ihara, Toru Koga

[Co-Sponsors] Kyushu University Faculty of Design, Musashino Art University Department of Science of Design
[Supported by] Center for Designed Futures of Kyushu University
[With Cooperation From] NPO Doner le Mot, Konya 2023
[Contact] Kyushu University Faculty of Design, Toru Koga Tel: +81 92 553 4400