What a Wonderful World

In March 2025, I took a day trip to the PLAY! MUSEUM in Tachikawa, Tokyo.
The purpose was to see Seiichi Horiuchi's retrospective exhibition.
Due to my lack of knowledge, I didn't know much about Horiuchi, who is well-known as an art director, designer, and picture book author. Although I frequently see his work in logos and designs for Magazine House magazines such as an・an, olive, BRUTUS, and POPEYE, he is a far cry from the big name that we take for granted. I grew up in a house with almost no picture books, so I don't even remember reading "Gurumpa's Kindergarten" or "The Little Sparrow's Adventure" when I was little.

As I witnessed Horiuchi's vast body of work, which spans a wide range of genres, I felt an overwhelming love for his work, as well as a kind of trust and love for children and adults who were once children.

This time, I would like to introduce the collection of works that serves as the official catalogue for the exhibition. However, when I first saw this book, I felt a bit disappointed. Is it really okay to have such small illustrations, no classification by genre or chronology, and very little explanation?

But that's a good thing.
This may seem like a small collection for someone who left behind such a diverse and talented work, but this book has more meaning and scope than a mere catalog. To begin with, if one were to try to include all of the work of such quality and quantity, how many volumes would it take to fill an encyclopedia?

This book is like a small collection of poems and paintings, with fragments of Horiuchi's work, such as picture books he has drawn and magazine pages he has art directed, as well as paintings, illustrations, photographs, and designs, and words excerpted from his writings and interviews. These short but profound words come to life with the wings of Horiuchi's creativity and reach the heart. I thought this was the perfect way to look back on his work. Sources and explanations are neatly included at the end of the book.
The illustrations in a picture book should be encountered within the story, and the art direction of a magazine also has a context, but the format of this book, which is temporarily separated from that, allows Horiuchi's essence to reach a deeper level.

We live in a divided world, especially these days, full of sorrow, hatred and war, and yet...
The world is so beautiful, interesting, full of dreams, and endless.

I like to open this book in bed at night before going to sleep, as it conveys a sense of "hope" through Horiuchi's work. Sometimes the words and expressions on the page I happen to open resonate with me like a revelation, and I can fall asleep feeling happy.

"What a Wonderful World"

I want to create a world where people can feel that way.

Seiichi Horiuchi – The world is like this

Artwork: Seiichi Horiuchi (illustration), Ayumi Takahashi (art direction and design)
Format: book, hard cover
Product No.: 9784908356667

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Text and photos by Fumika Arasawa designer Freelance ⇄ Corporate, and sometimes help friends. Moved to Matsumoto in 2024. Instagram: @fumika *Click here to purchase related products at rovakk musikk.

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WALLFLOWER CATALOGUE

Designer Arazawa Fumika will introduce one piece of inspirational artwork each time, designed to bloom on your walls every day.
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