HUMAN_NATURE is a personal design project launched by art director Rikako Nagashima, who has won numerous advertising awards for her work on advertisements for Laforet Harajuku and other venues. The first release is the accessory series "WIRE." We spoke with Rikako Nagashima, who launched HUMAN_NATURE, about the project's background and future plans. --What are the accessories you're releasing this time, HUMAN_NATURE? They're part of my personal attempt to express the "space between" opposing things. Examples of "space between" opposing things include "city" and "countryside," "consciousness" and "unconsciousness," and "organization" and "chaos." This time, I created accessories based on the theme of "space between intentionality and randomness." That's the "WIRE" accessory series. --What was the motivation and background behind creating these accessories? For example, our daily lives have become increasingly automated. Toilets flush automatically, and doors lock automatically. But what about humans? They're never automatic, and they're never absolute. I grew up in the countryside, so I feel stressed and uncomfortable with how everything in cities is so systematized and organized.

Of course, that's convenient, and I don't deny it. But I think we shouldn't forget that there's earth beneath the concrete, and nature within us. So instead of clearly separating "order" and "chaos," why not embrace what lies "in between." In "in between" there is choice, and comforts like "freedom" and "generosity." "Consciousness" and "unconsciousness," "deliberateness" and "randomness," "order" and "chaos," "humans" and "nature." It's what resides "in between" opposing things. I want to give it form. The shape it takes varies depending on the theme.

The first accessory I made this time was a simple, bent piece of wire, something you can find anywhere. The random shape of the wire was just wire, I thought. However, the reason I eliminated wire is because of the instinct to "dress up," like the law of flowers. It's something humans are born with—HUNMAN NATURE.

--What kind of activities do you have planned for the future? Also, please tell us what challenges you'd like to take on.

I'm currently working on a book called "HUMAN_NATURE." It may be a book that will cheer up people who feel a little down because of rules and order.

I'm thinking about a second series of accessories. I'll have a solo exhibition in Ginza in October, so I hope to display the book and other items there. Graphic design is my main job, so I want to use that as my main focus to express my message.


Nagashima's WIRE design will be exhibited at the "TOKYO DESIGN COMMIT Soen x TOKYO Kaihoku" exhibition, which will be held from the 3rd at Center Park/TOKYO Kaihoku on the 2nd floor of the main building of Isetan Shinjuku. The exhibition will run until April 9th. Nagashima was born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1980. After graduating from Musashino Art University in 2003, he joined Hakuhodo the same year. While working on advertising design and branding for companies such as YVAN VALENTIN and Laforet Harajuku, he has also produced personal works such as the art project PEACE SHADOW PROJECT with contemporary artist Tatsuo Miyajima and the water-like mirror product mizukagami. He has received acclaim both at home and abroad, winning the Tokyo ADC Award, the New York ADC Silver Award, and the Cannes Design Award Silver Award. His solo exhibition will be held at Ginza Graphic Gallery from October 3rd.