Kenya Hara is an award-winning Japanese graphic designer and professor at the Musashino Art University. He is also the art director for MUJI. For Kenya Hara, design begins with the comprehension of the unknown. With Ex-formation, Kenya Hara continues to explore the void, absence and indeterminacy in contemporary design. In contrast to information, Ex-formation describes how little we really know and thus becomes the starting point for any type of design. Hara states:

What moves people’s hearts, in every case, is the unknown. Things that people already know don’t excite them.

Published by Lars Müller, the book is based on a range of projects stemming from Kenya Hara’s teaching at the Musashino Art University, the book describes what exformation can look like in design practice and how this concept alters our classic understanding of information design.

Designed by both Kenya Hara and Tomoko Nishi Ex-formation presents a collection of works by students of the prestigious Musashino Art University, and very beautifully illustrates though-provoking and humorous design and writing.

Where to buy

• Ode to Things
• Lars Müller