Gallery Page

Making Shifu (paper cloth) is a time-consuming handiwork, so completed works are limited. Even so, I had the opportunity to show my work. Many people come and see the works I had made. The articles posted here are some of my exhibits and activities.

Toronto July 2017

This is the exhibition『Diligence and Elegance : The Nature of Japanese Textiles』 at the Textile Museum of Canada, in Toronto.

In March 2010, this plain Shifu was exhibited at the "Kigami(Raw Paper) Kami-ito(Paper Thread) Shifu(Paper Cloth) Ten(Exhibition)" in Nara. That was seen in natural light in a Japanese-style room. This time, the setting changed to the exhibition room of an urban museum using artificial light. I don't think I'm the only one who feels that the expression of the work has changed when the situation changes. You may also feel difference, please compare this and 8th photos.

Is it because of the exhibition situation with an inorganic atmosphere that makes you feel a little stiff and heavy?

This is an indigo-dyed Shifu. This work was done at the recognized indigo-dye artist Mr. Hiroyuki Shindo's studio, Kita Kobo Japan. I dyed kami-ito many times and made it into deep indigo blue. Then I woven into the shifu.

 

『 Morojifu-Ten 』　Nara   May 2016

Morojifu-Ten means: moro(both warp and weft), ji(paper), fu(cloth), Ten(exhibition). "Morojifu-Ten" as the title suggests, this exhibition focuses on pure paper Shifu. When the wind blows to feel the early summer and the greenery of the trees is beautiful, we held the "Morojifu-Ten" at the former residence of Shiga Naoya, famous novelist. In the past, shifu was used for the clothes of the common people, but recently we haven't had the chance to see or touch the shifu. This exhibition is an opportunity to enjoy the dyed and woven shifu by looking at them closely and touching the samples as much as they like. It has become a valuable moment in the long history of the textile exhibitions.

This is a particoloured shifu dyed with sumi ink(pine soot). It is dyed the hands black while making.

This is a detail of sumi ink dyed particoloured shifu.

This double ikat shifu is dyed with loquat leaves.

A pomegranate-dyed thread was prepared on a wood tray with legs made by wood craftsman Mr. Shingo Tsukuda. This will be made into shifu later and shown to everyone. Please look forward to it.

 

『Kigami, Kami-ito and Shifu Ten』Nara   March 2010

It was an early spring and a little chilly, but the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. We held the 『Kigami, Kami-ito and Shifu Ten』 at Horenso, Nara.
Most of the people who came to the "Kigami(Raw Paper) Kami-ito(Paper Thread) Shifu(Paper Cloth) Ten(Exhibition)" were puzzled by a mysterious title that they were not familiar to. People were surprised and enjoyed the transformation of kigami into kami-ito and shifu. Also they had an opportunity to touch a sample cloth to feel shifu texture.
This exhibition focused on moro-jifu woven with only kami-ito for both warp and weft, though it takes a lot of time to prepare and finish. There are kinu-jifu (silk shifu) and men-jifu (cotton shifu) existed.

 

Natural Plain Moro-jifu
Natural light through the shoji changed the tone of kigami during the day. When we forgot time, sat down in the tatami room and looked at the plain shifu, the appearance and expression changed from moment to moment. Shifu that spaciously hanging down from the ceiling looked like a hagoromo (angel's raiment) at the 『Kigami, Kami-ito and Shifu Ten』. I hoped that everyone had a blissful time.
This moro-jifu travelled to Toronto for an exhibition as you saw at the first photo.

Pile of kami-ito
At the Exhibition", everyone watched a mound of kami-ito that piled up on the paulownia floor. Under the natural light, the pile of kami-ito shines and casts large shadow. At twilight, the pile slowly transformed to darker and silent object. It was an another blissful time to watch quietly. This pile of kami-ito became another moro-jifu, "Indigo vertical stripes" that dyed with indigo and whole walnuts as shown on a next photo.
This moro-jifu has been turned into an invitation card.

This is the invitation card for the "Moro-jifu Exhibition" in May 2016.
The "Indigo vertical stripes" became a beautiful A4 invitation card perfect for an introduction of the exhibition. Certainly, this Moro-jifu was in the exhibition.

  

Los Angeles, July 2017

I go to various places to explain my work, because I do a unique handiwork making kami-ito from washi. At each place, I explain about a process of washi making, then kami-ito and shifu with slides. After the explanation, I demonstrate a process of kami-ito making from washi.

At the "Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM)" in Los Angeles, there was an exhibition "material" and it seems that my work made with kami-ito using washi as a material is cought an attention.
The slide talks and demonstrations were held in the morning and afternoon. All the participants eagerly watched and asked many questions. It was a busy day.
Following day, everyone who participated in the workshop paid effort and made own kami-ito.