Hokkaido-born world-renowned designer and sculptor Igarashi Takenobu to hold largest-ever exhibition at Sapporo PARCO

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Sapporo PARCO (3-3 Minami 1-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo), Sapporo PARCO will hold an exhibition titled "A-Z Homage to Takenobu Igarashi," featuring sculptor and designer Takenobu Igarashi, who passed away in February 2025.

PARCO Neon Sign (from August 7th) Photo: Koji Sakai

Igarashi's first encounter with PARCO was during the Shibuya PARCO PART3 project, which opened in 1981. He participated as one of the core designers, and worked on many designs, including the logo, signs, shoppers, and in-store graphics. The simple yet powerful PARCO logo is affectionately known as the "Igarashi logo" within the company, and is still used as exterior wall signage in Kichijoji, Nagoya, and other locations. The neon sign removed from the exterior wall of Shibuya PARCO, which was demolished for reconstruction, is now cherished as a permanent display in the Shibuya and Shinsaibashi stores. The Igarashi logo is a symbol of PARCO culture that has been passed down through generations.

Igarashi, who has worked on logos for Suntory, Meiji Dairies, Calpis, and others, has attracted worldwide attention for his three-dimensional alphabet works. His poster calendars (PARCO ver., produced in 1982, MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York) ver., produced between 1984 and 1991), which use a unique technique to express numbers, solidified his international reputation.

This exhibition focuses on Igarashi's work as a designer before he transitioned to sculptor in 1994. It unravels his logo design for PARCO PART3 and also introduces variations in typefaces. The exhibition will be set throughout the Sapporo PARCO building, showcasing his creative works, including the alphabet sculptures (24 of which still exist) unveiled at Shibuya PARCO's Street Gallery, the "PARCO Version" poster calendar (1982) that served as the prototype for MoMA's poster calendar, and sculptures and graphic designs themed around the letters A to Z.

■ Profile

Born in Takikawa, Hokkaido. Designer and sculptor.

After graduating from the Department of Design at Tama Art University, he moved to the United States and completed a master's degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His representative works include the calendar for the Museum of Modern Art in New York, logos for PARCO PART3, Calpis, Meiji Dairies, and Suntory, as well as product designs that make full use of the techniques of local industries throughout Japan. In the 1980s, he created alphabet sculptures using a variety of materials.

After working as a graphic and product designer, he moved to Los Angeles in 1994 and devoted himself to sculpture. He created numerous public art pieces using a variety of materials, including stone, wood, metal, terracotta, and stained glass. He returned to Japan in 2004 and founded the NPO Art Challenge Taro Kichizo, where he organized design conferences. He also served as president of Tama Art University.

He also had deep ties to Hokkaido, and was responsible for the logo of the JR Tower at Sapporo Station, the Star Clock, the station clock in the concourse, and the terracotta work "Mountains and Rivers Views" for Observation Deck T38. He was awarded the Hokkaido Culture Award. The Igarashi Takenobu Archive was established at Kanazawa Institute of Technology, and his sculptures and studio are on display at the Igarashi Takenobu Museum of Art Kazenobi in Shintotsukawa, Hokkaido. He died of progressive supranuclear palsy at a hospital in Sapporo on February 12, 2025, at the age of 80.

Takenobu Igarashi

https://takenobuigarashi.jp/

Igarashi Takenobu Museum of Art

https://takenobuigarashi.jp/kazenobi/

Igarashi Takenobu Archive

https://igarashiarchive.jp/

■ Representative works

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are provided by the Igarashi Takenobu Museum of Art.