カテゴリー: Japanese design

Fugeiten : Japanese crafts with a modern attitude

We’ll leave Japan for the United States next week.

And we are going to hold an exhibition called “Fugeiten” in Santa Monica. Let’s meet in Santa Monica if you are in the suburbs of LA.

Fugeiten

fugei2008sa.pngFugeiten is a project of textile crafts with a modern attitude, collaborating with traditional craftsmen in the provinces, or making with vintage clothing in japan.
DAY : July 18th(Fri.) – August 3rd(Sun.) 2008
AT : tortoise

  • 1342 1/2 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice,CA 90291 Google Map
  • tel : 310-396-7335
  • FAX: 310-396-7336
  • shop hour: noon-6pm or by appointment closed: Mon/Tue

In this exhibition we would bring “Koginzashi” bags and crafts. “Koginzashi” is an old handcraft In Aomori province, north of Japan. The farm women embroider on hemp in snowy winters.

What’s “Koginzashi”

“Koginzashi” is one of the technique of quilting to come to Aomori province in the northern part of Japan.

The farm clothes had called “kogin” in Aomori, so it’s called “Koginzashi”. A white cotton thread quilted in a blue “hemp cloth” in old days.

fugeiten

History

During the Edo Period (1603-1867), farmers did not wear clothes made of cotton; instead, they wore layers of clothes made from hemp to withstand the cold.

The women from the farming villages then began to stitch cotton thread into the hemp cloth in necessary places to reinforce the fabric and keep the body warm.

布芸展　2008年　秋篠の森The product of these women’s knowledge, those who made a living amongst the harsh nature of the northern country, can be seen today through “koginzashi” embroidery.

“Koginzashi” embroidery is known for its hand stitching technique, in which white cotton thread is stitched through each hole of the indigo-coloured fabric.

Today, either wool or cotton is used depending on the function, and the colours available and the times have changed, the colour scheme has increased as well.

This beautiful and simple geometric pattern, which continues to be created by hand and stitch-by-stitch, has become a symbol of the strength and delicateness of the women of the northern country.

kogin3.jpg

“Koginzashi” was reevaluated by “Mingei-movement“(Japanese original art movement of a folk-art) about 70 years ago. Now, we’ll do it again.

tortoise: greeting
Mingei (Wikipedia)
koginzashi (Aomori pref.)