GALLERY・MA

 
Vestigial Impressions

If perfection were the only objective in architecture, the result would no doubt be a cold, dreary space answering only functional demands. I have always felt that those things that make human life extraordinary or constitute the very essence of space fall under the category of what is vaguely described as superfluous.
The significance of space lies not in function but in its appeal to something like human instinct--mere human presence causes a flow of vitality. Such a space is not to be found where priority is placed on function. The architect must rely on insight instead.
Moreover, purity of space and form conducive to meditation must be based on a natural distillation of the traditional context of land, a formal sensibility filled with the architect's fervent prayer and freedom of ideas.

(Excerpted from "Kenchikuka no shingan" ("The Insight of the Architect"), SPACE, January 2006, Vol. 458.)

This is a statement by the late Jun Itami.

Itami was a proudly independent architect who had a foot in both Japan and Korea; he left behind works of contemporary art and calligraphy as well as architecture and was well versed in the the culture of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He called himself the last architect to design by hand and was drawing sketches up to the day before he died.

It is hoped that through sketches and drawings the present exhibition will acquaint as many people as possible with the world of Jun Itami.

Yoo Ehwa (ITM YOO EHWA Architects)

In the next exhibition at TOTO GALLERY・MA (managed by the TOTO Ltd.), which specializes in architecture and design, we present the work of the architect Jun Itami, who died suddenly in June 2011 at the age of 74.

Born to Korean parents and raised in Japan, Itami's identity was shaped by both cultures as he evolved a body of work based on his unique creative vision and "vestigial impressions" to elevate architecture to the level of art. Known for architectural spaces imbued with a powerful presence realized through a masterful use of materials, such as India Ink House (1975), a notable work from his early years, and Church of Stone (1991), Itami expanded his field of activities in Korea with a series of resort development projects on Jeju Island, beginning with the completion of a golf facility in 1998 and eventually leading to his involvement in a lodging facility, church, museum, and housing complex. Displaying even greater artistic maturity, these later projects led to acclaim both in Japan and internationally, and earned Itami such honors as the French Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier) in 2005, the Kim Swoo Guen Prize in 2006, and the Togo Murano Award in 2010.

In this exhibition, we introduce 24 of Itami's works, stretching from his debut effort, Mother's House (1971), to a posthumous project that is currently underway in Korea. In addition to models and photographs, we present a large number of the architect's (known for his fondness for hand-drawn work) original sketches and drawings, a video interview, and his favorite desk as we trace these "vestigial impressions."

A symposium will also be presented in conjunction with the exhibition on Thu., May 17. Promising to shed light on Itami's imagination and work with a series of largely unknown anecdotes, the participants will include the architectural historians Riichi Miyake, known for his global perspective on the architecture and art world, and Shunsuke Kurakata, an up-and-coming critic noted for his brilliant discussions of contemporary architecture; and two architects who are carrying on Itami's legacy: Yoo Ehwa, Itami's oldest daughter and Korea-based architectural collaborator, and Toshiharu Tanaka, the director of Itami Jun Architects.

TOTO GALLERY・MA