No.031_2 用無用 (Yo-MuYo)
Logo design for an antique shop, ‘用無用 (Yo-muYo - useful/useless),’ which Daichi Komatsu from TORCH will open in Sendai. At Yo-MuYo, you can discover items that trace the trajectory of human endeavours—objects that may transition between being useful or useless with changing times and perspectives. These items may serve practical functions as tools or evoke a profound impact on one’s heart.
The inspiration for this logo is drawn from the pottery of Japan’s Jomon and Yayoi periods. During the creation of this logo, I engaged in discussions with Daichi Komatsu about the utility and value of the design, recognising that these aspects vary depending on the era and location.
Who can determine what is useful or useless for things? A seemingly useless item might hold value for someone, and vice versa. Aesthetics, values, and needs are highly changeable across people, times, and places, as evident in ancient Japanese pottery from the Jomon and Yayoi eras.
Jomon pottery, crafted from around 14,000 BCE to 300 BCE, expressed cultural identity through distinctive Jomon patterns and designs. In contrast, Yayoi pottery, produced from around 300 BCE to 300 CE, showcased technological advancements with more refined shapes. These ceramics held not only artistic value but also played essential roles in culture, beliefs, and daily life. The fluctuations in values over thousands of years are reflected in these primitive pottery forms. I find this romantic idea echoed in the primitive creations of prehistoric humankind.
Jomon pottery and Yayoi pottery
No.031_2 用無用 (Yo-MuYo)
Client: TORCH
Logo Design
2021