Kimura&Fushimi: Anonymous Japanese Design Collective Challenges Authorship

On September 27, 2018, at Riot Studio in Naples, the anonymous Japanese design collective Kimura&Fushimi presented a project questioning authorship and curation in design. First appearing in 2012 with a lamp series, the group critiques societal pressures like karoshi (death from overwork) and johatsu (evaporation), referencing individuals who disappear from society. They maintain complete anonymity to preserve creative freedom, using digital tools for self-production and promotion while rejecting hierarchical industry relationships. The collective's video features a female curator speaking in neutral English, outlining their ideological stance against capitalism's 'there is no alternative' narrative. They advocate for cooperative work models over individualism. The project draws on Michel Foucault's question 'What does it matter who is speaking?' and positions objects as the primary communicators. The initiative reflects how economic and social contexts shape artistic culture, particularly design, and explores alternative pathways for creative work.