By Kimono ikasu
Located in Setagaya City, JP
Certified Kimono Meister work / Certificate of Authenticity included.
One-of-a-kind Japanese textile art made from vintage obi fabrics.
Sustainable artwork for modern interiors, collectors, boutique hotels, and lovers of Japanese aesthetics.
[Size]
73 x 53 x 5 cm
[Materials]
Silk for the outside layer, wooden frame for the under layer, and gold leaf
[Story behind the work]
This is the second version of "Cranes: Kintsugi," created from the same kimono using a different section of the textile. Each artwork is handmade, and no two pieces are identical.
The frame for this work is made of paulownia wood taken from antique Kiritansu, which are traditional chests of drawers for kimonos.
I use antique kiritansu that can no longer be used as furniture to create the basis and frames for my works. It adds an even more authentic atmosphere of the traditional wabi-sabi spirit. Can you feel it?
The piece uses the concept of kintsugi. It unites the pieces of antique kimono back together with golden leaf to give it a second wind as an artwork.
[Period and Story]
The kimono used in this piece was originally crafted during the late Showa period, around the 1960s to 1980s.
[Explanation and meaning of pattern and colors]
The Japanese saying goes, "A crane lives a thousand years, a tortoise lives ten thousand years," making cranes a symbol of longevity.
Cranes are also known for staying with the same partner for their entire lives, which is why they are often used at weddings and other celebrations to symbolize marital bliss and the desire for harmony between husband and wife.
On this particular piece, cranes are flying through snow woven on the fabric, as if they are overcoming all disasters to get to their beloved ones.
The color scarlet, or deeply dyed red, used for most of the cranes here, has long been associated with the meaning of warding off evil. It is believed to possess the power to repel malevolent forces and invite good fortune.
During the Heian period, from 794 to 1185, scarlet was reserved for sacred buildings and ceremonial objects that held great significance. Ordinary people were prohibited from wearing scarlet red kimonos, which made it a highly special color.
[Characteristics of the fabric]
Cranes, going up and down, are generously decorated by kimpaku here. Kimpaku refers to gold leaf or foil in Japanese. Gold leaf is a traditional material used in various aspects of Japanese culture, including art, crafts, and even in culinary applications.
In traditional Japanese art, gold leaf is often applied to religious objects, sculptures, paintings, and lacquerware to create a luxurious and decorative effect. The use of gold leaf in art dates back centuries and is associated with a sense of wealth, prestige, and the divine.
Traditional kimpaku technique is used here to make an accent decoration in the middle.
[About the frame]
This artwork frame is crafted from paulownia wood, a uniquely Japanese material closely tied to the world of kimonos, and it serves to convey the refined beauty of Japanese nature.
Paulownia wood is known as the lightest wood in Japan, praised for its natural luster, resistance to moisture, and resilience against cracking. Since ancient times, it has been used in crafting furniture, chests, and musical instruments.
Paulownia wood is closely linked to kimono culture. During the Edo period, it became customary to store cherished kimonos in paulownia chests...
Category
Late 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Paintings
MaterialsGold Leaf, Silver Leaf
