Essen/Germany, den 17 November 2016

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“Under the Sign of the Circle”: This is the title of the exhibition to be presented in the Red Dot Design Museum Essen in Germany from 25 November 2016 to 19 March 2017 on Red Dot awarded design innovations from Japan. From living, telecommunications and media to packaging design and posters – around 100 exhibits from Japanese designers and manufacturers will be on show. The focus is on technological innovations, for which Japan is very well known.

All of the objects displayed in the exhibition “Under the Sign of the Circle: Red Dot awarded Design Innovations from Japan” have received a distinction in the Red Dot Design Award. Due to its size and continuity, the competition is a yardstick for the design development of an industry or a country. Following a range of exhibitions concerning the design of individual countries – including Sweden, Belgium and Spain – the Red Dot Design Museum is devoting its new exhibition to contemporary design in Japan.

In the exhibition “Under the Sign of the Circle”, visitors will experience the natural manner in which design from Japan connects what appear to be opposites: traditional crafts are married with state-of-the-art technologies, western influences such as the Bauhaus principles and functionalism are interwoven with the Japanese principle of harmony. This results in products, communication works and design concepts that win people over with their good design.

Designs will be presented from different areas of life, such as furniture, tableware and lighting for example. Because large sections of the Japanese economy are very fond of technology, there is an emphasis in the exhibition on technological innovations, for which Japan is very well known. Based on cleverly designed products – including from the areas of consumer electronics, cameras and life science – it becomes clear how the Japanese designers master the challenging task of translating technological achievements into marketable and in particular successful products.  In addition to numerous current exhibits, the Walkman from Sony, which won an award in Essen back in 1986, will be on show in the exhibition “Under the Sign of the Circle” as an example of a historical product.

25 November 2016 – 19 March 2017:
“Under the Sign of the Circle: Red Dot awarded Design Innovations from Japan”

Press contact:
Marie-Christine Sassenberg
Senior Communications Manager
Red Dot Design Museum Essen
Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen
Gelsenkirchener Str. 181
45309 Essen
Germany
Phone: +49 201 30104-43
E-mail: m.sassenberg(at)red-dot.de