A chindogu is an invention that is not useful, but it is not useless per se, because it is also a form of art. "It is the ideal solution to a particular problem but in practice it turns out to be exactly the opposite," according to our beloved Wikipedia. They are strange, inexplicable objects whose literal translation would be, more or less, "deformed tool." The term, of course, comes from Japan, land of inemuri, kaijus, puroresu, and kawaii cafés, among other things.
It all began while Kenji Kawakami, creator of this internationally prestigious artistic movement, was working at Mail Order Life, a monthly mail-order shopping magazine. The magazine circulated in the 90s and served as a sort of illustrated catalog for well-off housewives who wanted to pay extra for the convenience of having their purchases delivered to their door. Somewhat bored of being a tool of the most brainless capitalism, in his spare time Kenji began working on a collection of absurd objects that he could include in the catalog.
Kenji's idea with these objects was to add a certain social commentary to the pages of his magazine; to combat materialism from the very heart of materialism, creating objects that sought to solve real problems but were so absurd that their purchase would be unthinkable. "I detest materialism and how everything is turned into merchandise," Kenji said at the time, warning that the heart of chindogu was the antithesis of mass production. Therefore, not every "useless invention" can be classified as chindogu; to be faithful to its concept, it must follow certain requirements, according to the exact words of its creator:
- It cannot actually be used.
- It must have been built, that is, it must exist.
- It must have an anarchic spirit.
- It will be conceived as a tool for daily use.
- It cannot be for sale or put on sale.
- It cannot have been created just as a joke.
- It cannot be or contain propaganda.
- It must never be or embody something taboo.
- It cannot be patented or registered under any license.
- It cannot promote prejudice.
The collection of absurd objects created by Kenji Kawakami was so successful in the magazine that it became a protagonist, earning a prominent place among its pages. Today, the movement is still alive, with different artistic collectives making their own chindogu, but never with the vitality of those times. Want to see more examples? Say no more! Enjoy them!
A gallery of chindogu
