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The Kaj Franck Design Prize 1994

Textile designer and artist Fujiwo Ishimoto

Fujiwo Ishimoto (born 1941) is a distinguished textile designer with a long and impressive career in which he has combined the closeness to nature of both Finnish and Japanese culture. Having originally studied applied art and design in Tokyo, Ishimoto came to Finland with Marimekko as his inspiration. He realized his dream of making ceramics in 1989 when he received a grant from the Arabia Cultural Foundation. Ishimoto still has the use of a studio at the Arabia Factory's Art Department and he is currently known also as a prolific ceramist.

Ishimoto's printed fabric designs are a combination of simplicity and refinement, asceticism, lightness and a dynamic spirit. Working at Marimekko, Ishimoto is a productive designer of printed fabrics that have remained favourites among buyers throughout the years. The collections display variety, ranging from colourful fabrics with bold designs to delicately restrained printed patterns. Ishimoto's latest area of work entails the patterns of the Illusia tableware service, which he designed together with Heikki Orvola for Designor.

Fujiwo Ishimoto's work has been featured in several exhibitions, including Design Forum's Classic Makers in 1995 and Finnish Design 125 Years in 2000.