TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA X LG light up milano design week 2017

on the occasion of milano design week 2017, LG and japanese designer tokujin yoshioka combine to create an immersive large-scale light installation, titled TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA x LG : S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE. located at superstudio piu in the tortona district, the collaborative work brightly illustrates humanity’s relationship with the natural world and illuminates LG’s human-centric design philosophy.

the large-scale light installation will provide a dazzling immersive experience 
all images courtesy of LG

dazzling as a sensory overload for visitors, the TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA x LG : S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE combines the cutting-edge technology of LG with the experimental design techniques of tokujin yoshioka. as part of the installation, seemingly commonplace furniture, named S.F CHAIRS, are dotted around the space and are embedded with LG’s organic light-emitting OLED displays. composed of 17 chairs in total, the pieces appear both static and dynamic as brilliant flashes of light emit from the double-sided panels, reflecting the fast pace of modern day life.

17 S.F CHAIRS will be positioned around the exhibition space 

furthermore, the TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA x LG : S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE installation features a gigantic WALL OF THE SUN, which comprises of nearly 30,000 individual OLED light modules. measuring 16 meters wide and five meters tall, the vast screen emulates the rays of the sun, undulating gently and inviting visitors into the space with emotions of comfort, warmth, and happiness. its lighting components are radically different from traditional bulbs, presenting a unique glimpse into LG’s human-centric lighting designs of the near future.

‘we wanted LG’s design philosophy to leave an indelible impression of beauty on people’s minds after experiencing the art installation created in partnership with world-famous designer tokujin yoshioka,‘ said park sung-hee, head of LG hausys corporate design center. she added, ‘we also aimed to show that anyone’s imagination and dreams can become a reality when coupled with LG’s cutting-edge technologies.’

the ‘S.F CHAIRS’ by tokujin yoshioka

running throughout the milano design week 2017 – open to the public from 4th to 7th april – the large-scale light installation is located at superstudio piu in the tortona district. ahead of the opening, designboom spoke with japanese designer tokujin yoshioka, who provides an intriguing insight into the collaboration, the advanced technology on show, and how studies of the natural world influenced the design.

designboom (DB): how did the collaboration with LG first begin? 

tokujin yoshioka (TY) : for this installation, I collaborated with LG’s technicians, and did various studies and experiments to develop new creations using LG’s latest technology.  it was a great experience for me to have this challenging opportunity to create a work of art that has never been seen before. 

the ‘S.F CHAIRS’ are embedded with LG’s organic light-emitting OLED displays

DB: titled S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE, can you tell us how the concept of the installation arose?

TY: the theme of this installation is ‘S.F’. when we were children, we freely imagined the future, and we dreamed migrating freely between now and our unknown destiny. this, I think, was when we were able to sense the future. ‘SF (sci-fi)’ is an expression to represent science fiction – imaginative concepts of futuristic science, technology, space or life – and is commonly known around the world in the form of films, novels, and comics.

as a new interpretation of science fiction, I entitled this exhibition as S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE and I view it as an experimental idea for the future which combines the latest technology and artwork.

DB: as a philosophy that echoes throughout your designs, what specific elements of the natural world influenced the features within the exhibition?

TY: I have incorporated natural phenomenon and the laws of nature into my designs, and sought possibilities of future creations by combining them with technology.

the S.F CHAIR, which I present in this exhibition, is a chair for the future that projects poetic images of light. this chair is a new type of artwork which our experience completes by sensing the fantastic motions of light. dual-view (double-sided) OLED digital signage is just 15 mm in thickness, which is the result of LG’s cutting edge technology, and it was specially created to realize this artwork.

WALL OF THE SUN is constructed with OLED lighting panels – a light source closely resembling natural light, attracting the attention of the world as the pre-eminent energy-saving, human-friendly light source for the next generation. the light is like natural light in its brightness which surrounds humans and makes them feel comfortable; I created the space which reminds us about the force in life by using the latest LG technology.

the ‘WALL OF THE SUN’ is composed of 30,000 individual OLED light modules

DB: what is the meaning of S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE?

TY: the work focuses on the relationship between man and the natural world. I have explored the sensations that natural light brings to us with my studies and experiments, and this has been the inspiration for my designs. I believe the natural world contains beauty that is beyond our imagination, and energy which provokes our senses. in this project, I incorporated the laws of nature and their effects, and expressed light using the latest technology. this light installation is an experimental proposal, which fills the entire exhibition space with light.

this is a vision for the future concerning the fusion of technology and art. it evokes memories of light in each of us – this is the concept of TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA x LG S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE.

the ‘WALL OF THE SUN’ by tokujin yoshioka

DB: the lights used showcase the latest advancements within the OLED field, what was the reason to then combine the technology with commonplace objects, such as the chairs?

TY: I combined the latest technology with the chairs, because chairs have been iconic product in the history of design. I wanted to create a chair for the future.

‘WALL OF THE SUN’ designed by tokujin yoshioka

DB: what type of emotions and experience will guests feel during and after visiting S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE? 

TY: I think people can discover the relationship between man and the natural world more sensuously by experiencing the works of art created with LG’s latest technology and the large-scale spatial installation. nothing is comparable to the beauty of nature – I hope people will feel this sense of elation through this installation, which is a combination of the latest technology and the work of art.

japanese designer tokujin yoshioka

DB: what will be of the future of this exhibition, both in terms of its technology/products and as a whole installation?

TY: considering future of design, I think the relation with mankind are the most important aspect. this is the message I expressed in this exhibition.