Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置 by Noriko Kinouchi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 鐵獎 in 美術設計 Competition Category.

鐵美術· 2026

Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置

by Noriko Kinouchi

A' Design Award 鐵獎 Winner in 美術 Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #176020

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置

《花繪流水》係一件為豪華郵輪主餐廳而創作嘅場域特定藝術裝置。作品結合咗八幅大型圖像版畫同一段連續嘅4K解像度數碼影像。每幅版畫尺寸為1456乘762毫米,以噴墨方式印製喺手工和紙上,再裝裱喺適合海洋環境嘅畫框之中。四季花卉、枝葉同流水嘅圖案緩緩變化,體現咗日本文化對無常之美嘅欣賞。每件作品都喺區塊鏈登記系統上註冊,以記錄其來源出處。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 鐵獎

Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置是 A' Design Award 鐵獎得主，這是授予滿足人們對設計精良的創作所期待的專業與工業要求的優良設計的聲望認可。鐵獎得主展現出其創作者的高超技藝、高度專業化、專家級的理解力和創造能力。預計Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的創作，既實用又創新。這件贏得 A' Design Award 鐵獎的設計整合了行業最佳實踐，並擁有與專業知識和才華相結合的稱職技術特性。Kaei Ryusui 藝術裝置因其嚴謹而受到尊重，旨在提供有助於讓世界變得更美好的生活品質改善。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Kaei Ryusui-tan is a site-specific installation comprising eight large-scale graphic works and a fluid visual sequence that transforms the environment into a moving painting. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of impermanence, the motifs of seasonal flora and flowing water shift continuously. To ensure the integrity of this collection, each work is registered on the Startrail Registry Record (SRR) blockchain. This digital provenance secures the design's originality and protects the intellectual property rights of both the creator and the client within the maritime setting.
Dimensions & Packaging: Each graphic print measures 1456 x 762 mm, inkjet-printed on handmade washi paper and mounted in frames optimized for durability at sea. The installation consists of eight prints and a central digital sequence rendered in 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 px). As a key technical property, the work is integrated with the Startrail Registry Record (SRR) blockchain to secure its digital identity and provenance.
Tags: digital art, art installation, site-specific, fine art prints, ambient animation, Japanese aesthetics, cruise ship, meditative space, contemporary art, luxury design
Production Technology: The graphics were produced as high-resolution digital compositions using Adobe software. Each piece was inkjet-printed onto custom-sized handmade washi paper, measuring 1456 x 762 mm, and mounted in specialized frames for the maritime environment. The fluid imagery was developed in 4K resolution using After Effects, layering motion and light. To manage these assets, the project integrates the Startrail Registry Record (SRR) blockchain infrastructure, assigning a unique digital identity to each piece for permanent provenance tracking and authenticity verification.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was integrating a digital work into the ship's architecture without it appearing as a conventional screen display. To solve this, motifs were scaled and paced to feel like a living landscape. Another difficulty was preserving the subtlety of traditional Japanese aesthetics while using contemporary media; this was resolved by softening visual transitions to allow the imagery to merge naturally with the washi texture. Additionally, using SRR blockchain solved the challenge of securing the long-term value and provenance of art within a complex maritime management system.
Research: This research explored reinterpreting the Japanese sense of impermanence through contemporary digital media. Objectives focused on translating traditional motifs—blossoms and flowing water—into a moving environment. Methods included iterative graphic studies and material experiments with washi paper. Results demonstrated that expanding traditional imagery into a luminous, evolving landscape evokes a renewed perception of time. Furthermore, the integration of SRR blockchain establishes a framework for managing digital provenance, ensuring authenticity for high-value corporate art collections.
Inspiration: The inspiration for Kaei Ryusui-tan stems from the Japanese aesthetic of "mono no aware," finding profound beauty in impermanence and seasonal transitions. Traditional motifs of blossoms, branches, and flowing water are reimagined not as static depictions, but as an evolving luminous landscape. By bridging cultural memory with contemporary digital expression, the project establishes a poetic presence on board the luxury liner Asuka III, where the art unfolds as a continuous living environment that resonates with timeless sensibilities.
Project Duration: The project was produced in 2025 in Tokyo and permanently installed within the main dining room of the luxury cruise ship Asuka III.
Operation Flow: The work functions as an immersive environment rather than a static display. Eight seasonal graphics are paired with a digital sequence that continuously shifts in tone and rhythm across the dining space. As observers move through the room, their perception of the space evolves with the flow of light and imagery, mirroring the experience of observing a natural landscape through passing seasons. This gentle transformation encourages a state of contemplation and emotional resonance, allowing the art to breathe within the architectural volume.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Noriko Kinouchi
Team Members: Noriko Kinouchi
Image Credits: #1: Nacasa & Partners,Ka-ei Ryusui tan,2025
#2: Art front gallery, Ka-ei Ryusui tan,2025
#3: Art front gallery, Ka-ei Ryusui tan,2025
#4: Art front gallery, Ka-ei Ryusui tan,2025
#5: Art Front Gallery, Ka-ei Ryusui tan,2025