21_21 DESIGN SIGHT presents "The Original" exhibition starting from March 3, 2023. Takahiro Tsuchida, a design journalist, serves as the Exhibition Director for this event.

"The Original" exhibition brings together designs that have deeply influenced daily life. Tsuchida defines these designs as "The Original" because they not only mark the beginning of a history of making but also stimulate and challenge future designers. These designs possess a lasting fascination and continue to exert their influence long after their creation.

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT has previously organized exhibitions centered around the concept of design enriching and enhancing life, expanding possibilities of thought and action. Designs have a mutual influence on one another, shaping their own histories. However, in today's fast-changing society and lifestyles, the essence of design work risks being forgotten amid the overwhelming abundance of information. There is a lack of urgency to seek out that essence.

Rather than following every fashion and trend, "The Original" exhibition reconsiders these original designs as reference points and clues for contemporary designs. It offers timeless starting points for design and reveals the connections to the designers who created them. The exhibition showcases around 150 products designated as "The Original," selected by three prominent figures in today's design world: Takahiro Tsuchida as Exhibition Director, Naoto Fukasawa as Supervisor, and Kaoru Tashiro as Planning Associate. The exhibited items range from furniture, tableware, and textiles to toys. Accompanying these objects are images and texts that explain the works, document the selection process, and highlight connections between the displayed pieces.

By closely examining the designs surrounding us, we come to realize that the finest sparks of creation emerge at the intersection of individual and social visions. "The Original" exhibition aims to draw attention to these works, fostering broader thinking and action, and contributing to the birth of future design.