The Material_ Aluminum

Aluminum is a metal that is widely used in the world but also neglected by people inadvertently from time to time. The quality of aluminum, its invisibility, increases my interest in it as I am someone who has been immersed in Japanese culture since I was teenager. The essence of Japanese aesthetics is “wabi-sabi”. A wabi-sabi space or a wabi-sabi product can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing. The beauty of wabi-sabi can be described as “imperfect, impermanent, and imcomplete”. Meanwhile, aluminum shares the same characteristics in its qualities: light, inexpensive, common. There’s a link between my favorite material and my favorite culture, I in a way, exist in the identity of their spirit.

The Assignment_ Home

Home is a personal definition, but coming back to basics, the stability represented by the concept of home and the instability in the journey are natural enemies. Between old and new, comfortable and uncomfortable, eternal and temporary, traveller has obviously made his choice. The reason why a traveller on the road often looks back from time to time is the reason where home resides within. For me, the reason is my search for a sense of identity. Home is a place where you can feel peace of mind, is a cave where you feel safe without the false pretenses of the world.

The Story_ A Spontaneous Journey

JoJo is a 31-year old cartoonist who works and lives in Tokyo, Japan. The story begins on an ordinary night of early autumn. On the way home, JoJo meets a long-time friend, who tells him what he has seen in Kyoto, and also brought a news of temptation: maple leaves dyed the hills of Kyoto this season. Immediately, the protagonist of the story decides: it is time for a road trip. Noah is an aluminum light frame inspired by traditional Japanese art origami and conceived for JoJo, so that it will allow him to take a break during a three- day, two-night excursion to serve as his home on his journey.