"What I learned in Stockholm" according to Miwa Akabane
After transferring to Sun-Ad from Suntory's PR department, Miwa Akabane spent many fulfilling days as a graphic designer. However, she eventually tossed away this enviable (to those in the same field) career to go study abroad at an art school in Stockholm, where she continues to learn textiles today. When I try to envision Stockholm and art schools it's hard to come up with a good mental image, the reason being that I don't know a single graphic artist who studied design in Scandinavia. I took the opportunity to ask Akabane about everything when she returned to Tokyo for her summer vacation.
When did you decide you wanted to study abroad?
I became interested in textiles when I just happened to go to the exhibition of designer Vuokko Nurmesniemi during a trip to Helsinki 2-3 years ago. I began to think more and more that studying abroad was another way of doing things. It turned out the entire process was really enjoyable, from speaking with coworkers who had experience studying overseas to mailing back and forth with professors about setting up interviews, going to visit the actual school, beginning to learn English, and making new friends along the way. It felt like I was thinking on my feet.
It all sounds very proactive. But in the end you went to Sweden instead of Finland.
At first I was looking at schools in Helsinki, and I had a change to show my portfolio to some Finnish designers. As they put it, Stockholm is a bigger city and thus more interesting. He recommended that if I used to do graphic design there was all the more reason to go to a larger city. In the end I didn't get accepted at the school in Helsinki anyway but did at the school in Stockholm, so I made my way to Sweden...
Are your classes in English even in Sweden?
Yes. The MA (graduate school) is all in English. I got in with just barely the acceptable, or perhaps even less than acceptable, amount of language ability, so I'm having a difficult time. But, my classmates are all really nice, so they always patiently for me and my slow conversation speed (laughs)
You studied graphics at an art school in Japan and worked in graphic design. What made you decide to study textiles?
I was really starting to like product designs that can be used for a long time. It could be that I had a bit of backlash against ad design with its short lifespan. Then, after getting some inspiration during my trip to Helsinki, I got the idea that perhaps in textiles I could find a good meeting point between graphics and textiles. I also wanted to try collaborating with designers in other fields like furniture. Not to mention that I'm completely fascinated by the ability of textiles to spread, wrap, roll, and take on various forms in interiors and fashion.
And you had also been attracted to Scandinavian design for a long time?
I liked the simplicity of Scandinavian design, and when I actually traveled to the region I really felt comfortable there. I had also often been told that the use of color in my illustrations looked Scandinavian even though this was something I never intended, so I guess you could say that I had some sort of natural affinity with the word Scandinavia. But, once I arrived there I received a lot of responses that the pieces I had been told looked so Scandinavian actually seemed very Japanese, so I was I bit surprised. At any rate, my style has definitely started to change during my various trial and error experiences since coming here. I just keep on making things as before without worrying about whether my work seems Japanese or Swedish.
How do you think your style is changing?
Before I used think before I started drawing like "let's draw a tree" or "let's make this a bird", but now a lot of the time I just go in with no plan like "let's just draw". I have regular meetings with my professor, who has told me that I must make lots and lots of sketches. At first I had a bit of trouble with being told to just get out there and draw because in advertising I had always started my designs with a proper subject. But then one day a pattern I made based off of one of my sketches by just tearing and messing around with some masking tape I had lying around got a really good response, and that just blew all my worries away. I'd say that lately my style is a bit more abstract. At the moment I'm really fixated on creating things by taking inspiration from things I made in my subconscious. It's really fun to see forms I never expected come into being.
But since it's for a class you have proceed in some logical fashion, right?
No, everything is left up to my self-initiative, perhaps because it's an MA course. It could also have something to do with how the textiles department at this school (Konstfack) is quite artistic. A lot of people do different stuff make video art despite being in the textiles department or make fashion that seems almost more like costumes. Sometimes I'm really surprised at how unpredictable the other students' pieces are, like "Wow, I can't believe they did that!" It's impressive how professional they are about how much work they put into the entire display space. I'm always getting all sorts of inspiration.
(Left) A piece by another student
(Rights) A window display from the beginning of spring
(Rights) A window display from the beginning of spring
I don't hear of many Japanese artists who have done exhibitions in Scandinavia, but it seems that art is quite popular there. Are there any graphic artists who don't do fine art like us active there?
Yes, there are a lot. There are also many galleries like Building that bring together artists who lean more towards fashion and culture. What's more, the streets are positively full of interior design shops. The Swedish really like to add their own personal touch to things, so everyone buys lots of things like wrapping paper, cards, and colored cloth. Even the supermarkets have little corners with these types of items. The Christmas season here is especially showy.
An interior design shop inside a remodeled theater
So art has really permeated the everyday lives of the people.
Every subway station in Stockholm has artwork in it, but it's interesting to see how the ideas vary by station. In Japan we have Jizo and shrines all over the place, and everyone sees this as something natural. I feel it is the same for art in Stockholm. Apparently they even factor in what percentage of the budget to set aside for art when planning buildings here. I didn't take it, but there is even a class where you present public art for use in places like stations and plazas. It's apparently a pretty pragmatic course that requires your presentations include budgets and production schedules. Your presentations are then made to the organizations or those otherwise in charge of the public spaces.
Businesses are also proactive about supporting students, and if your work is good enough it can apparently be made straight into a product.
You're going to graduate in a year. Have you thought about what you're going to do next?
I don't have any concrete ideas, but I'm enjoying the uncertainty. The other day I got the chance to meet a designer from Berlin that I've been really interested in, and I was really impressed when she said that she just found herself where she is now by just doing focusing on the things in front of her without setting any real target of what she wanted to be. I do as much as I can that interests me without deciding too much about the future. Whenever I feel lost I just recite the words "It's better to something than nothing" like a mantra. I don't want to not do something and then regret it later.
Text_Kenji Mori (BUILDING)
Translation_Luke Baker
Miwa Akabane
Born in 1977. After graduating from Musashino Art University, she joined Suntory Limited, since then, she worked at SUN-AD Company Limited, advertising creative production as an art director and a graphic designer. She became to interested in textile design, and also created pattern designs for individual works. Currently living in Stockholm, and studying at Konstfack, Master's program Textiles in the Expanded Field.
Portfolio page on BUILDING(coordinate agency)
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