Sometimes a place becomes irrevocably linked with an artist who worked there. The French city of Arles was immortalized by Vincent van Gogh. The island of Tahiti immediately brings to mind Paul Gauguin. In like manner, the artist most closely associated with the small Japanese town of Manazuru is Kazumasa Nakagawa (1893-1991), a painter who made his base there for more than 40 years. Manazuru is located about 70 kilometers southwest of Tokyo on a small peninsula that juts into the Pacific Ocean. The land is steep and rocky, making it mostly unsuitable for agriculture, but the scenery is exceptional. more...

Would you know one pound if you held it in your hands? Probably not. In fact, the units and measurements that we use in our everyday lives are most likely taken for granted by most of us, which is all the more reason to see Measuring: This Much, That Much, How Much?, an exhibition currently being held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Roppongi, Tokyo. The show is unique in that it addresses the very abstract subject of "why we measure," and it is entirely devoted to conveying understanding, explaining the history, and introducing creative ways to visualize the importance of measuring in our lives. more...