Showing posts with label Design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Design. Show all posts

Jun 11, 2013

Mr. Maguro マグロ

      Our story begins in Japan, at the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. Our hero? A sword-wielding third-generation wholesale fish-stall owner named Kazuyoshi Watanabe. Mr. Watanabe is know in particular for his mastery with the treatment of a smaller variety of Tuna  - The Blackfin. Until this spring, his dealings with fish were purely literal... until now!

Japanese poster illustrating the deconstruction of a blackfin tuna for sushi. step-by-step, all the different parts of the fish. in japanese, MAGURO
↑ マグロ dissection poster via spookkake



      In the following video - Kazuyoshi Watanabe and the artisans at his stall, Sanwa Co., demonstrate the deconstruction of a Blackfin; about which user jdrw5 comments:

"ある日、私はこのような品質とおいしさのマグロを購入する。今のところ、私は小さい魚の屈辱を被る。ある日、私の刺身の夢が叶うか、私はそのような魚介類を確保する戦いで死んでしまう![One day, I buy the tuna taste and quality like this. For now, I suffer the humiliation of small fish. One day, the dream of my sashimi or come true, I will die in the battle to ensure the seafood like that!]". 




      What an amazing knife sword! I wonder how long it takes to sharpen? Also, how cool is it that the men at Sanwa Co. all wear Adidas tops? (Mr. Watanabe is dressed in the blue, white, and red stripes and makes an appearance around the 8:30 mark.) 



Q: So what's the deal with the beautiful little scaled-down plastic fish bits that they periodically place alongside corresponding tuna parts as they slice the fish apart...?



Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan

Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan



A:  They're pieces of Mr. Watanabe's beautiful Dissectable Maguro [Tuna] produced by Japanese model-toy maker Hobby Stock! 



Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
Kazuyoshi Watanabe's dissectable Maguro [tuna] model by Japanese model-toy makers HobbyStock. model fish, japan
↑ Pictures via Hobby Stock website

      This incredible 10-piece model comes with its own sword-knife and cutting board and the separate tuna pieces fix together with magnets. I love everything about this! This whole museum-models and learning-tools getting mixed up with playthings and art idea is so cool.  I especially appreciate that this thing is sort-of reminiscent of a fishing-lure, and is way less dangerous to play with!  This fish will cost you ¥29,400 (around $300 USD) - not cheap, but certainly more affordable (and fun to hack at) than the real thing. What a beut!


Nov 15, 2012

Goldfinger Brownjohn

      Simplistic in concept and artfully minimal in design, artistic director Robert Brownjohn's title sequence for Goldfinger (1964) is perfectly executed.  What a brilliant idea to project sequences from the film onto the gilded body of glorious 'glamour-girl' Margaret Nolan!  A simple/cheeky idea, meticulously executed + perfect typography + the velvet rumble of Shirley Bassey = quintessentially sexy spy-junk history! His piece is not only timelessly modern and sophisticated, but stands alone as one of the most iconic pieces of 1960's design and cinema.


      SPEAKING of which... One of the MoMA's exciting recent acquisitions is none other than a series of photographs by Herbert Spencer which document Robert Brownjohn's preparatory studies for the Goldfinger title sequence! NYC friends, this collection is being presented in conjunction with the film exhibition 50 Years of James Bond and is on display until March 18th, 2013. The following are just a few of the photographs on exhibition. So beautiful:

Behind-the-scenes: JAMES BOND "GOLDENEYE" title sequence. photographs by Herbert Spencer document artistic director Robet Brownjohn's preparatory studies.  Golden painted girl, the beautiful Margaret Nolan, on exibit at the MoMA. quintessential 1960's design.