Pigment Lab
Warehouse TERRADA Opens the Laboratory, “PIGMENT” in Tennoz, Providing Valuable Art Supply by Japanese Brands.
Store Design by the Architect Kengo Kuma, Traditional Art Supply Provided In-Store and Online-Warehouse TERRADA (Shinagawa, Tokyo. CEO: Yoshihisa Nakano) opened an art supply laboratory, “PIGMENT” in Tennoz Isle, as a hub that connects manufacturers of quality materials with artists, while nurturing and supporting young Japanese artists with the potential to thrive globally.
Today, production of art supply for Asian paintings produced by traditional methods is in decline. Shortage of artisans who take over the traditional methods of production, in addition to the decrease in the population who enjoy art, influenced by the economic situation and the dwindling population, is becoming a serious problem. Traditional art supply is essential both for the conservation of historical artworks and for the creation of the new.
Warehouse TERRADA launched “PIGMENT” as a site for collecting and developing such supply. The store building designed by the world famous architect Kengo Kuma features a modern design consisting of organic curved surfaces inspired by bamboo blinds. The look of the bamboo decorating the entire ceiling while creating elegant and bold curves imparts a powerful presence despite their quiet demeanor. Colorful pigments are displayed on the spacious 200 sq m walls of the store, almost as if to resemble a painting, creating space that stimulates the creativity of the users.
At “PIGMENT”, we select products that use quality materials by Japanese brands. Our product line-up covers more than 4,000 colors in pigments alone. Furthermore, in addition to selling the supplies, the store will provide advice on the characteristic and application of each supply by art supply experts with a wealth of professional knowledge and with Ph.D. degree in the study of art supply. Workshops by professors of art colleges and art supply manufacturers are held accordingly, offering rich knowledge to a wide variety of users including professional artists and scholars of art.
Warehouse TERRADA is committed to enhancing technology that fully utilizes our knowhow in leveraging space. The preservation and storage technology for special products such as artworks is highly regarded in the industry. Warehouse TERRADA has recently been expanding its business into the culture and art sphere, and hopes to transform Tennoz Isle, where the company is located, into a place of dispatch for art and culture.