WA: The Essence of Japanese Design

Menegazzo (Japon) and Piotti (Japan Style) distill centuries of the wabi-sabi way of life in this elegantly curated photograph album of everyday items. Defining wa as simple form and natural material combined with craftsmanship, they spotlight over 200 objects by mostly modern artists like Isamu Noguchi, with designs that appear "to be looking both back to the past and forward to future developments." In a pithy introduction to the design concept and the book, by graphic designer Kenya Hara credits 15th century shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as the father of the esthetic of "emptiness." From bamboo to ceramics to plastic, they assemble an entertaining assortment to illustrate shogun style. Familiar items include lacquered chopsticks and bento boxes, stainless steel teapots, the Noguchi Akari paper lamp, and even the Kikkoman soy sauce dispenser makes the cut. In the textiles section the authors demystify the kimono with a nod to fashion innovator Issey Miyake and his Reality Lab Project Team. Fans of Reiko Sudo, co-founder of NUNO, the industrial design house, will be pleased to find her contribution to sustainable materials promi-nently featured. While minimalism my not be everyone's cup of green tea, those with the desire to pare down will surely find inspiration. 300 color photos. (Mar.)