Shigeo once told Idea Magazine that ‘I believe that in design, 30 percent dignity, 20 percent beauty and 50 percent absurdity are necessary’. Design, dignity, beauty and absurdity are all key elements that informed his unique body of work.
Born in 1932 in Tokyo to a family of toymakers, Shigeo had an early interest in Swiss design and in 1956, he attended the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music.
He is famous for works such as Victory 1945, which was awarded the grand prize at the Warsaw Poster Contest in 1975. Shigeo’s work is focused on social advocacy, particularly pacifism and environmentalism.
Shigeo also created intricate sculptures, including Lunch With a Helmet On, a piece of silverware that looked like a helmet which cast a shadow of a motorcycle.
He was the first Japanese designer to be inducted into the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame.
