Portrait Photo by Toshimasa Kumagai
Seiichi Engawa
Video Artist / Photographer / Art Director
Professor at Musashino Art University / Founder of DRAWING AND MANUAL
1988: Began his career at CBS/Sony Records (now Sony Music Entertainment).
1989: Joined the Advertising and Promotion Department at Sony Corporation. He was responsible for producing Sony's domestic and international exhibitions and sponsored exhibitions, and was permanently stationed at the Ginza Sony Building (now Sony Park), where he planned and produced showroom operations.
1991: Moved his base to New York, USA. At Telemotions Inc., he worked as a Sound Engineer/Creator/Director, producing and directing music programs, Broadway stage documentaries, commercials, films, and music videos.
1992: Shifted his focus to media art creation, integrating music and visuals.
1997: Returned to Japan and participated in the establishment of DRAWING AND MANUAL. He engaged in diverse creative activities, including directing corporate brand videos, stage productions for fashion brands, working as a photographer, and spatial productions for art museums.
2000: The title art for the feature film "Electric Dragon 80000V," which he art directed, received an award from the New York ADC.
2002: The motion graphic art for the TV commercial "Dydo Blend Coffee," which he art directed, received an International Broadcast Award.
2005: The UX/UI design for Panasonic mobile phones, which he art directed, received three iF Awards: the Atmosphere Award, the Animation Award, and the Corporate Design Award.
2011: The video work "Forest Xylophone," which he directed, received over 20 international awards, including the Cannes Lions. In the same year, his first photo exhibition, "Non-existent Films, Existing Landscapes," toured various locations across Japan.
2012: Served as a judge for the Film Craft category at the Cannes Lions.
2014: Presented the contemporary art piece "Yukimi Haruga" (Snow-Viewing Spring Painting) in Tokyo, Milan, and New York, which was themed around Katsushika Hokusai's spring paintings.
2015: Presented the contemporary art piece "srk (Inspired by SHARAKU)" in Tokyo, Milan, and New York, which was themed around Sharaku.
2016: Directed his first short film, "Suzu." The Japan Pavilion at the 15th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition, for which he was the art director, received the Jury's Special Mention.
2017: Directed his first feature film, "youth." Following its premiere at the Shibuya Image Forum, it was screened at Aeon Cinemas nationwide and received a positive response.
2018: Directed the feature film "Harmonica Taiyo," set in Niigata, Japan. The filming spanned a daring full year. Over 800 people packed the local Niigata screening.
In 2020, directed 'All Aboard!', set in Tokushima, Japan. Immediately after its completion, due to the impact of Covid-19, its domestic screening in Japan was abandoned. However, it was submitted to over 10 international film festivals and received numerous awards.
From 2022, he began creating video art as a new endeavor.
In 2023, as an invited artist by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, I stayed in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, for an artist-in-residence program, where I produced and presented the video installation work 'Karmen'.
In 2024, filmed and completed the poetic documentary 'Siren In The Silence' in Hokkaido.
In 2025, presented the new installation work 'Dappled Light Suite #1' at the opening of the newly established Taichung Art Museum in Taichung City, Taiwan.
Book: Photo short story collection 'Non-existent Films, Existing Landscapes Vol.1' (published by space shower books)
Co-authored: 'EARTHLING: A Guidebook for Living as an Earthling' (published by Sol Media) / en: 'Art of Nexus: A Record of the Japan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition' (published by TOTO Publishing)
Awards
2000 New York ADC Award, Merit Award
2001 London International Awards, Bronze
2002 IBA—International Broadcast Award
2005 iF Design Award, Atmosphere Award
2005 iF Design Award, Animation Award
2005 iF Design Award, Corporate Design Award
2008 AdFest - Bronze
2009 THE ONESHOW INTERACTIVE - Merit
2011 CANNES LIONS 2011 CYBER LIONS Gold / FILM CRAFT LIONS Gold / FILM LIONS Silver / Spikes Asia 2011 FILM CRAFT Gold / DIGITAL Gold / FILM Bronze / Good Design Award, Gold Award
ADFEST 2012 FILM LOTUS Gold / FILM CRAFT LOTUS Gold / CYBER LOTUS Gold
2012 ONE SHOW Consumer TV 60 sec/Non-broadcast online film Merit / Craft/Sound Design Bronze / 15th Japan Media Arts Festival, Entertainment Division Jury Selections
Environmental Communication Awards, TV Environmental CM Division, Excellence Award (Earth and Human Environment Forum Chairman's Award)
D&AD Professional Awards 2012 Nomination
2016 15th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition, Special Jury Award
Prix Jeunesse 2016, 11-15 Non-Fiction Category, International Children's Jury Award
Prix Jeunesse 2018, 11-15 Non-Fiction Category
2019 Good Design Award, TV Program Design
2020 Montreal Independent Film Festival, Director's Award / London Independent Film Festival, Best Foreign Film Award / 4K Tokushima Film Festival, Awa Culture Promotion Grand Prize / Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards, Best Film Nomination, Best Poster Design Award / 22nd Hamburg Japanese Film Festival, Best Independent Film Award. 2021 Milan Gold Awards, Best Film Award
2021 Venice Film Festival, Recommended Film Award / Paris Film Festival, Best Director Nomination / Florence Film Festival, Recommended Director Award
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DRAWING AND MANUAL
https://drawingandmanual.studio/about
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