Exhibition in Tokyo designed by Jonas Stokke and Øystein Austad

Tokyo 100 %

The Norwegian consulate asked us to showcase our work during the Tokyo design fair, 100% design. To reduce the impact of the exhibition, we decided to base the design on standard off-the-shelf components that could be sourced in Japan. And instead of sending the objects to be displayed, we would make a fanzine and posters documenting them. Both the posters and the journal would be handed out to the visitors, rolled up, and sealed in standard card tubes. By the end of the exhibition, the "objects" on display would be dispersed into the audience. This exhibition was the joint effort with graphic design studio Your Friends, consisting of Henrik Fjeldberg and Carl Gürgens.

Using standard components worked brilliantly, except for one crucial mistake. For reference, we had sent the subcontractor building the stand a photo of a Euro pallet. However, due to a misunderstanding, they manufactured, impeccable pallets from scratch, complete with the chamfered corners and everything.

chamfered pallet with light source underneath

fanzine in black and white on a white floor

The graphic design studio Your Friends designed all the graphic elements of the exhibition, from the fanzine to the posters showing the products. We wanted to show the design process, so the fanzine contained a detailed chronological record of the entire design process between the two studios, complete with emails, sidetracks, setbacks and triumphs.

Carl Gürgens handiing out a poster to a visitor during the 100% exhibition

Using posters and a fanzine as a away of distributing the exhibition proved successful, and it was also an efficient way for connecting with the audience. In the end all the posters and fanzines had been handed out, and the exhibition was empty.