Journal

• May 2024

  “Japanese Happiness” published by OPTIKBOOKS

  Japanese happiness is not the happiness of the Japanese. It is open to all cultures. However, it is Japanese aesthetics that have devoted more attention and dedication to the reconciliation of human beings and nature with the cycle of life than Western aesthetic theory that focuses on disinterested pleasure. It therefore opens up a particularly accessible approach to the experience of the happiness of inner peace. Through 27 artifacts and their stories, this book shows how beauty can make you happy and includes essays that discuss the current state of happiness research in philosophy, sociology, neuroscience, and Japanese studies. “Japanese Happiness” was published in May 2024 to accompany the exhibition of the same name at the Japanese Cultural Institute in Cologne. The book is available in bookstores and at www.optikbooks.de/japanesehappiness.

• April 2024

  Shortlist Most Beautiful German Books “KSZ” and “Character Proof”

  This year, we are delighted to have been shortlisted for “Germany's Most Beautiful Books” with the two titles designed by vista, “Character Proof” (non-fiction) and “KSZ” (art book). The “Most Beautiful German Books” competition is regarded as a source of inspiration for outstanding design and exemplary workmanship in the production and design scene. In a multi-stage process, two expert juries select the 25 most beautiful books of the year. The books are exemplary in terms of design, concept and workmanship and demonstrate a wide range of creative and manufacturing possibilities.