Main Visual and Symbol Mark

Design that changes

All the designs, beginning with the main visual and symbol mark, are subject to change during the festival period. On February 26, this “SIAF Design Project”, one of the continuation projects that began in 2016, was described in the festival outline as follows:

“For the SIAF2017 design, we will have workshops to organize our thoughts on an appropriate design for the theme of the art festival, and first come up with a symbol mark. At the same time, through group collaboration, we intend to come up with other necessary design elements such as the signboards. By focusing not only on the results but also on the process, we hope this will be an opportunity to learn about and implement methods of archiving”.

As described in the above, the appropriate axis for the design decision was explored through the multiple public meetings and workshops, keeping in mind the landscape of the entire city of Sapporo. Through this process, the following points were derived:

1） Not give a single set of parameters, but maintain a flexibility that will enable the design to correspond with the diversity of the individual projects that are included in the art festival.

2） Considering the nature of the festival, which will take place all over the city, it should have a variability that allows for on-the-spot customization of the design at the various locations once the festival begins.

3） Keeping in mind that information will be shared with people all over the world via Internet, there should be some leeway for change in the elements depending on the exchange of information.

4） The design project should be propelled not only as being “for SIAF” but also “through SIAF”, and as such, enable growth.

In other words, even what has been announced at this point is still under development, and will gradually change over the next year until the festival begins. It will also continue to develop with each individual project over the course of the festival period, and as such, there is a wide range in the form and color that will be used.

SATO NAOKIArt Director / Professor of the Tama Art University

Born in Tokyo in 1961. After graduating from Hokkaido University of Education, he studied Sociology of Education and Sociolinguistics at Shinshu University. He also studied painting under Mokuma Kikuhata at Bigakko. In 1994, he became the art director for “WIRED” magazine’s launch in Japan. Then in 1998 he founded ASYL DESIGN inc. (current ASYL). From 2003 to 2010, he produced an art, design, and architecture event called “Central East Tokyo (CET)”. In 2010, he participated in the establishment of 3331 Arts Chiyoda. His work is a part of the permanent collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern art, receiving awards from Japan and overseas.