Saburo Murakami (1925-1996), a key member of the Gutai Art Association (usually known simply as Gutai), was a regular at Bar Metamorphose, a hole-in-the-wall establishment in the city of Nishinomiya between Osaka and Kobe. The proprietor, Tatsunori Sakaide, wrote an account of experiences with his philosophical and eccentric customer, Two and a Half Drops of Bitters. The title refers to the impossible instructions Murakami gave Sakaide for mixing his drink on the artist's first visit, during which he also praised the bar's layout: "You can come in through one door and go out another on the opposite side . . . a stroke of genius!" more...

The architecture of Kazuyo Sejima, Ryue Nishizawa, and their joint office, SANAA, has an enigmatic quality. Forms float ephemerally within everyday surroundings, creating juxtapositions between buildings and context that provoke our surprise and interest. As is evident from the long and successful career of these three collaborative offices, appreciation of their designs has grown to a global level. more...