The birth of the useless masterpiece
Cataloging the bizarre categories of Tomasson
The court case that shook Japanese art
Spotting hyperart in the wild today
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret art of useless things
choko Understand Genpei Akasegawa's concept of Hyperart Tomasson. This infographic defines these useless, preserved architectural relics found in cities.
choko The term Tomasson was named after Gary Thomasson, an expensive American baseball player in Japan who became a symbol of uselessness.
Gary Thomasson's legacy: The baseball player who inspired 'Tomasson' had no idea his name became a Japanese word for architectural uselessness.
A flight of steps leading from one floor of a building to another, typically with banisters. In 1972, Genpei Akasegawa discovered a defunct one in Yotsuya, Tokyo, which led to no doorway.
What is a key requirement for an architectural anomaly to be classified as a 'Tomasson'?
What group did Genpei Akasegawa help form in 1986 to search for these architectural relics?
What was unique about the original 'Yotsuya Staircase' discovered by Genpei Akasegawa?
The artistic term 'Tomasson' was named after Gary Thomasson, who worked in which profession?
In which Japanese city did artist Genpei Akasegawa discover the original 'Yotsuya Staircase' in 1972?
For which Japanese baseball team did Gary Thomasson play when he inspired the term 'Tomasson'?