WOW! meets Tomoko Mizu at Fritz Hansen Store in Milan.

“North East west” is a project poised between design, art and craft, video-told by the protagonist, who paid homage to the icon-chair Series 7 by Arne Jacobsen.

As the title explains, this eventi s is the match point of different and distant cultures: 3 different cultures, all of them with a relevant design background: Milan, the West, is connected to the North, Denmark – Fritz Hansen country – by the delicate lines from Japan, the East.
A bold project that dares interact (some would say debunk) the legendary chair Series 7 by Fritz Hansen, one of the evergreen symbols of design. With her refined sign Tomoko Mizu the Japanese designer in Italy from many years, honours the Master Arne Jacobsen creating a limited edition of 12 wooden unique chairs elaborated by the ancient technique of plating and inlay. For the creation Tomoko turned to two skilled craftsmen thanks to the Craftsmen Confederation of Lodi.

“There is a common feeling between Scandinavian and Japanese design: the love for nature, the respect for trees and flowers in their becoming during seasons. I wanted to add value to this undisputed design icon, taking inspiration from shapes and colors of nature: I designed elegant but delicate decorations that harmoniously fits in the chair.” Tomoko Mizu says “I live in Italy from many years and I know beauty and quality of the traditional works that unfortunately raises less and less interest and apprentices. I thought that to better express my intervention on natural materials it was correct using the wise manual skill of people preserving the Italian tradition instead of technology” Tomoko adds.

Exhibition: North East West
Fritz Hansen Store Milan, Corso Garibaldi 77
From 6th June to 28th September 2013.