Critical Review with Kengo Horikoshi
Updated: Sep 30
Written by Meike Brunkhorst Kengo Horikoshi pursued a career in business development and finance in Japan and the US until he changed direction and moved to London, studying Product and Furniture Design at the Chelsea College of Arts, UAL before receiving his MA (Design Products) from the Royal College of Art in 2024. He has since been developing his personal practice as an artist and designer, working between art and function, alongside his role of design assistant in an industrial design studio in London.
There is something about Kengo Horikoshi’s work that instantly reminded me of the design revolution of the late 1980s, in particular the bold colours and geometric patterns of the Memphis movement around Ettore Sottsass, and Philippe Starck’s playful kitchen accessories for Alessi. Both rejected the strict functionalism of postwar modernism and positioned objects as cultural artefacts that communicate emotions and values.
Kengo Horikoshi draws on personal experience to respond to universal challenges of contemporary life with thoughtful concepts that foster interconnection. His Stand By You series of anthropomorphic objects was informed by the experience of loneliness when being distant from family and friends. Based on the psychological principle that humans are wired to seek connection and are drawn to human-like qualities in their surroundings, he created objects with integrated storage functions that combine practicality with a sense of companionship. Equipped with comic-figure feet, the cases insert a sense of humour and humanity into mundane living environments; more subtle elements that hint at noses and ears complete the figurative references without drifting into kitsch or toy territory.
Encountering his Celebration of Individuality at a busy group exhibition in Central London after travelling in rush hour traffic provided the ideal mindset and staging for this sculptural vase. Presented on the gallery floor and surrounded by a bustling crowd, the metal orb protecting the fragile bloom at its centre became a metaphor for the individual jostling for recognition. The work is born from Horikoshi's belief in the importance of acknowledging a person’s unique characteristics. These run deeper than divisive categories like nationality or social status and are key to human happiness.
None of his works would look out of place at the London Design Festival, and his approach
serves as an example of how cultural heritage, material innovation and digital thinking can coexist - in keeping with the overriding theme of this year’s edition. An example is Horikoshi’s Fandbag collection which celebrates traditional craftsmanship by placing traditional folding fans into a fresh context. Redefining the fan’s aesthetic qualities beyond their core function, Horikoshi expands the basic concept of opening and closing, expanding and collapsing from a manual cooling device to a versatile frame bag.
While folding fans are widely associated with Asian culture and their origin can be traced back to Japan, Kengo Horikoshi worked closely with The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers, according to whose website the craft of fanmaking arrived in England via France in the 1500s. Blending tradition and craft of both his native and current homes, Horikoshi's work taps into a renewed interest in folding fans driven by a rise in heritage aesthetics and a practical response to increasingly hot summers.
While Japanese aesthetics are a source of inspiration for a growing number of European artists and designers, Kengo Horikoshi has developed his own playful approach to shape, form and perspective, and counts Western sculptors like Richard Serra, Barbara Hepworth and Anish Kapoor amongst his influences alongside Isamu Noguchi. His creative process resembles that of an artist, which begins with an observation, internal question or emotion, rather than the more solution-led approach to design which tends to be in response to an external constraint or specific problem.
He developed a set of cutlery to counteract contemporary lifestyles defined by fast food and growing inattention. Rather than aiming for the most efficient solution for formal dining, the aptly named Pretender’s spring handles were designed to slow the act of eating with the aim of disrupting hectic routines. What appears like a commonplace set of utensils deliberately fails at its core function to actively encourage engagement and conversation instead.
Other concepts of disruption include a chair with a deliberate tear that allows part of its structure to peel off while maintaining enough stability to sit; and a stack of tables collapsed into one another which reads more as sculpture than furniture. Let It Flow is the name of a sculptural lamp inspired by a desire to add natural form and an element of unpredictability to an office environment. Placing his trust in the laws of nature, Horikoshi allowed molten glass to flow and solidify naturally; reducing purpose and control even further by forming his clay moulds with and without blindfold.
While Japanese craft tradition is based on artisans dedicating their life to refining specific skills and developing spiritual connection through mastering their chosen medium, Kengo Horikoshi’s process is not limited to any one material, process or discipline. The common thread that defines his work is a desire to create sculptural objects by whichever means necessary to allow them to be sources of emotional connection, reflection and pleasure in everyday life.
