BORO TEXTILES: SUSTAINABLE AESTHETICS exhibition coming to Japan Society NY on March 6th

Japan Society NY
presents

Boro Textiles: Sustainable Aesthetics

When: March 6th - June 14th, 2020

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Boro (“rags” or “tatters”) are patchwork textiles hand-pieced by peasants in Japan in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The inability to cultivate cotton in the northern climate of Tohoku necessitated the practice of stitching remnants of used fabric into utilitarian items, including blankets, coats and mittens. These hard-used garments – reworked over generations – express essential principles of Japanese ethics and aesthetics, such as an appreciation for distinguished imperfections and the avoidance of waste.

For the first time in the U.S., this exhibition assembles over 50 archival pieces from the personal collection of folklorist and cultural anthropologist Chuzaburo Tanaka (1933–2016) presented alongside new portraits by editor-photographer Kyoichi Tsuzuki, designs by pioneers of Japanese avant-garde fashion Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and textile-based works by Susan Cianciolo and Christina Kim – part of a generation of contemporary artists influenced by the aesthetics and ethics of mending, patchwork, and re-use. The installation, designed by New York architecture firm SO–IL, rediscovers this traditional handicraft, its history of survival and ingenuity, and its continued legacy within creative practices today.

Admission is $12, $10 for students and seniors; free for Japan Society members. (Join today to receive an exclusive invite to Japan Society's members-only Boro Textiles preview & reception on March 5th.) Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Welcome Desk or online in advance.

Docent tours are provided free with admission on Friday & Saturday at 2:30 PM (English) and Friday at 6 PM (Japanese)

Related Events:

Kyoichi Tsuzuki: The Beauty of Survival - lecture on Saturday, March 7th at 2:00 pm

Japanese Textiles: New Perspectives - panel discussion on Sunday, March 15th at 11:00 am

ACF 894: Works of quilt master KIM Haeja will be on exhibit at The Korea Society

10,000 Threads
The collected works of KIM Haeja
The Korea Society

950 Third Avenue at 57th Street, NYC

(Entrance on 57th Street, south-west corner of the intersection)

February 22 - March 31, 2011

Traditional Korean quilting, with its unique “nubi” line-stitching, is elevated to a high art under the masterful hands of award-winning artisan Haeja Kim. A designated holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property award by the Korean government for her efforts at preserving Korea’s artistic heritage, Kim meticulously line-stitches layers of batting and fabric into fine garments and coverings. The tiny stitches are employed over each article in a deceptively simple pattern, with smaller stitching highly valued and the mark of a true expert.

Gallery Reception
Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 6-8 PM

RSVP here.

Nubi textiles are thought to have originated among Buddhist monks, who valued its strength, simplicity, and insulation against Korea’s frigid winters. Lay people employed it for traditional dress and soldiers for defense against the cold and added physical protection. However, the hand-craft of nubi largely disappeared in modern times with the introduction of the sewing machine.

Master Kim has been breathing new life into the art ever since she surprised visitors to the Korea Annual Traditional Art Exhibition two decades ago with 3mm-5mm nubi stitchwork—a feat, not seen for a century, that won the Prime Minister’s Award. Today, she is much sought after as a teacher and master of the form. In her humble and elegant rural studio, surrounded by attentive student apprentices, she displays a unique dedication to craft, hand-processing her fabrics with natural dyes like indigo, safflower, and charcoal. Her work has been exhibited in Korea, Japan, China, and France. This exhibition at The Korea Society represents Kim’s first major U.S. showing.

The items selected for this special showing will be grouped in three parts:
Feb 22 - March 4 Children's Clothing
March 7-18 Adult Clothing
March 21-31 Children's Ceremonial Clothing

ACF 434: Serizawa textiles on exhibit at Japan Society through January 17, 2010

Serizawa: Master of Japanese Textile Design
Japan Society Gallery
Through January 17, 2010

Obi (Sash) Length, Scenes in Okinawa, stencil-dyed crepe silk

Last Friday my wife Francesca, who weaves and knits, and I, who do neither, took in this exhibit at Japan Society. Both of us marveled at the creations of Serizawa Keisuke (1895-1984). They made it readily apparent why he was deemed a "Living National Treasure" during his lifetime.

Noren (Entrance Curtain), Knots in the form of
the Chinese character Kotobuki (long life), stencil-dyed cotton

Serizawa was a master of stencil-dying. His works of art, based on craft techniques, covered a broad range of media, such as screens, kimonos, book covers, magazine designs, and entrance curtains. He also utilized a wide variety of materials: cotton, silk, hemp, and other fibers, all decorated with beautiful natural dyes.

Chinese character hana (flower), stencil-dyed tsumugi-weave silk

The above images are from scans I made of the three postcards that are on sale. A fully illustrated catalog can be ordered online or purchased at Japan Society.

But Serizawa's creations deserve to be seen and appreciated in person, if at all possible.

For further information and gallery hours, click here.

ACF 245: Pojagi: Cloth, Color and Beyond

The Korea Society will present a panel discussion on the art and history of Korean wrapping cloths on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 6:30 PM. Linking pojagi aesthetics to both traditional American quilts and contemporary abstract painting, panelists Lee Talbot, assistant curator of The Textile Museum, Chunghie Lee, a fiber artist, and Seta Wehbé, assistant collection manager of the Antonio Ratti Textile Center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will discuss the enduring appeal of pojagi and what they reveal about the life and times of their creators.

Buy tickets online or RSVP to Heewon Kim at 212.759.7525, ext 355.

The panel discussion will take place at The Korea Society, 950 Third Ave (entrance on 57th Street), 8th Floor.