TED TOKIO TANAKA

In March 2010, MB Abram Galleries had a chat with celebrated Los Angeles architect, artist and designer Ted Tokio Tanaka inaugurating our Conversation with Artist video series (click here). Since then we have kept in close touch.

In the States, Tanaka continues transformative design work on the new subway and train system (Metro Regional Connector) which will change the footprint of Los Angeles in coming years. In Japan, he is spearheading design for a Tsunami Memorial Museum which will be built through the efforts of the citizens of Ofunato, an area heavily affected by the March 11, 2011 Japanese Tsunami.

Even with all his new projects, Tanaka will likely always be identified with the visionary LAX project he conceived and executed some 13 years ago. Tanaka's pylons, described as an "electronic stonehenge" were launched in 2000 and together with his giant LAX sign have become symbols of Los Angeles, recognized world wide. More than 60 million a year see in person the 11 translucent, tempered glass cylinders 25 feet to 60 feet high in the median of Century Boulevard and ring of 15 100-foot-tall pylons at Century and Sepulveda boulevards. Visible from the air and on approach from all directions, these sentinels have a computer controlled palette of 16 million colors, constantly changing depending upon the morning sun and night sky.

Tanaka's brother Tokihiko (1920-2003) was a well known poet, and Director of the Museum of Haiku Literature in Tokyo. Tanaka steered a different artistic direction--into the visual arts. Today it is our privilege to display exclusively some of his recent drawings and paintings. We are also pleased to be able to offer for sale for the first time a special, signed digital print edition "15 Columns at LAX".

© all images copyright Ted Tokio Tanaka 2014

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