MUJI Celebrates US Debut Of MUJI IS: Behind the ‘Wa-ke’ at NYCxDESIGN
The second iteration of the rotating “MUJI IS” exhibition series celebrates the brand’s iconic minimalist packaging
New York, NY – May 16, 2024 – MUJI is thrilled to bring the second iteration of its rotating exhibition series, MUJI IS, to NYCxDESIGN this year. Located at Hudson Yards, MUJI IS: Behind the ‘Wa-ke’ is a celebration of the brand’s iconic minimalist packaging, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in MUJI’s unique product language as shaped by the work of copywriter Miyuki Tokunaga. The exhibition will open to the public on Thursday, May 16, marking its US debut.
Miyuki Tokunaga has supervised MUJI’s Copywriting Atelier since 2001 and is responsible for the concise phrases and product narratives that have become a defining element of the brand’s beloved hang tags over the years. MUJI IS: Behind the ‘Wa-ke’ takes visitors on a journey through large-scale versions of the iconic MUJI tags, highlighting the verbiage that has become central to MUJI’s catalog of simplistic products. Some of the brand’s most well-known items will be on display alongside their corresponding product tags, underscoring MUJI’s design ethos which places “selection of materials,” “streamlining of processes,” and the “simplification of packaging” above all else.
Tokunaga’s work has shaped the narrative behind countless MUJI products, evolving MUJI’s own language in the process. For twelve years, she wrote for the MUJI Laboratory for Living project, contributing to the brand’s iconic MUJI IS book and the Kurashi Chushin (Living Centric) booklet. It is through her signature phrasings, attached to each MUJI product, that these product tags have become central to the brand’s legacy.
Located at 20 Hudson Yards (Level 4, across from the entrance to the Edge), MUJI IS: Behind the ‘Wa-ke’ will remain open through Wednesday, June 12 from 11 AM to 7 PM daily. The space will also feature a small pop-up shop, offering a curated selection of items from MUJI’s extensive product catalog.
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EXHIBITION CREDITS
Organized By: Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.
Space Design: DAISUKE YAMAMOTO DESIGN
Graphic Design: Akiko Kurachi
Site Construction: HIGURE 17-15 cas
Cooperation: Kazuko Koike, Setsuo Nakata, Satoko Suzuki, Tomisaburo Hagiwara, Takashi Okuma
Planning and Management: ATELIER MUJI
About MUJI
MUJI, originally founded in Japan in 1980, offers a wide range of low-cost, good quality products including household goods, apparel, food, and even houses. The name derives from the company’s original name in Japanese: Mujirushi Ryohin, meaning No Brand, Quality Goods. MUJI is based on three core principles, which remain unchanged to this day: selection of materials, streamlining of processes, and simplification of packaging. MUJI’s products, born from an extremely rational manufacturing process, are succinct, but they are not in the minimalist style. That is, they are like empty vessels. Simplicity and emptiness yield the ultimate universality, embracing the feelings and thoughts of all people. They have been credited with being “resource-saving”, “low-priced”, “simple”, “anonymous” and “nature-oriented”. Without placing a disproportionate emphasis on any of one of these varied assessments, MUJI aims to live up to all. There are more than 1,000 MUJI stores around the world, carrying more than 7,000 items, but the foundation of their ideology hasn’t changed as MUJI continues to orient itself to the basis and universality of daily life.