When one notebook was filled, I moved on to the next. Each one had the same size and the same cover — a unified series was born. The notebooks fit easily into a pocket along with my wallet and phone, allowing me to add drawings of various objects that I wanted to record, wherever I was — in between moments of observation or while traveling.

Philippe Weisbecker (from the afterword)

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Based in Paris, Philippe Weisbecker had been secretly keeping a small notebook that could be described as an “object diary.” I first had the chance to see it at his Paris studio two years ago. The corners of the notebooks were rounded so that they could fit easily in a pocket or wallet. They served as his personal aide-mémoire — places to jot down and sketch the things that sparked his imagination at flea markets, while traveling, or in his everyday life.

This book, “DIARY,” is a compilation of twelve such small notebooks that Weisbecker kept over a ten-year period, from 2014 to 2024, with Japanese translations added. The size has been enlarged by 160% from the original notebooks, making it easier to see — and pleasantly thick. It contains 576 drawings of the modest, humble everyday objects that so appeal to Philippe’s sensibility.

Please also read the translated diary entries at the end of the book. They reveal why certain objects caught his attention — forming a subtle record of observation. Many of the objects he found during his stays in Japan are included as well. The entries from days when he couldn’t find anything worth drawing are particularly amusing.


Publisher: Osamu Kushida
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▼The original small notebooks