International Young Designers' Workshop 2000
Lecture by Professor Mitsuo Katui

"Describing Perception and Environment"

Mitsuo Katsui, Head Professor of Visual Design Communication at Musashino Art University, gave a lecture in preparation for the fieldwork beginning on the third day of the workshop.

His lecture commenced with an illustration of experimentation on a blind spot and the structure of the eye. His illustration extended to various sensory perceptions such as sight, and to the operational system governing
these perceptions in the brain Also, while presenting a wide variety of art works and illustrations, ancient and modern, as examples of description of perceptions and communications, he outlined the relation between "design" and "perception and the environment" pivoting on "Writing Space Design."

A Summary of A Lecture by Professor Mitsuo Katsui

When we think about "seeing," for instance, our eye has a blind spot, due to the root of the optic nerve bundle at the back of the retina. This is a matter of anatomy and physiology. Depth, rules, and shape are recognized by referring to a certain figure. This matter belongs to the study of psychology or recognition psychology.  When we relate to a seen object, it is linked to the principle of matter, that is, the field of physics.  This kind of research has been conducted since ancient times, and flourished particularly during the Renaissance.

Generally it is considered that we obtain our eyesight when we are about two months old.  Afterwards, as our optics develop, we continue to create a relationship with nature.  In my opinion the essence of design is to reveal this interactive relationship between nature and our self from a totally innovative viewpoint or location; in other words, to exhibit a form that conveys surprise.  I suppose that this operation is probably an act of showing something, or of designing.

Visual Communication Design Laboratory, Musashino Art College

Profile
Mitsuo Katsui
Graphic designer, Chief Professor at Musashino Art University
1931 born in Tokyo
1955 graduated from Tokyo University of Education
1956 entered Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
1961 became a freelance graphic designer
1964 helped create the design manual for Tokyo Olympic Games
1970 for the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka, art directed Algorama, an 120-faceted multi-image.
1984 invited to lecture and judge at the 11th Brno Design Biennial
1985 art directed the official map for the International Ocean Exposition in Tsukuba, Japan
1986 produced the symbol for the International Flower and Greenery Exposition
Board of director of JAGDA, Member of Tokyo ADC, NY ADC, AGI

Significant Awards
1958 The JAAC Award
1965 Mainichi Industrial Design Award
1972 Brno International Graphic Design Biennial
1990 Brno International Graphic Design Biennial Grand Prix
1990 Mexico Poster Biennial Grand Prix
1993 Art Recommendation Award from Minister of Education, Science and Culture
1994 Japan Advertisement Award from Yamana
1994 Warsaw Poster Biennial Golden Award
1994 1995 Mainichi Design Award, NY ADC Golden Award, Tokyo ADC Hara Hiroshi Award
1996 Katsumi Katsu Award, Purple Ribbon Medal, and a number of
other poster and design awards at home and abroad