|
Cloth & Culture NOW
the artists - Shoko Nomura, Japan
The importance of Japanese culture
As you layer washi (Japanese paper) it appears thicker
and the pieces get out of alignment.
The more you layer it the more
the outlines become blurred and you cannot see what is inside.
In fact, the act of layering is
also an act subtracting or taking away.
These pieces become blank spaces with no centre and at the same
time the surface appearance changes, in turn changing the shape
and colour.
(Translators comment: In Japanese traditional
art, for example scrolls or ink paintings, there are often large “blank" areas
which are just as vital to the painting as the parts with ink,
these are not seen as “blank” but as an integral aspect
of the painting.)
For me the blank space created
inside and on the back of the layered papers reflects an essential
aspect of Japanese culture.
● Things giving
expression:
Actions, gestures and works functioning
as blank space.
The thickness of and distance between the blank
spaces.
The margins around them.
● How I feel about or see the influence of other cultures.
● Am I influenced by other culture or not?
Currently the structure of Japanese society is undergoing
changes, but the same time we feel in awe of time-honoured Japanese
culture.
Yet, people venerate the time-honoured
culture perhaps without really
understanding it. I believe that in the name of tradition, some
aspects of Japanese culture are not being handed down correctly.
My own desire is to be able to play a role in putting
right the in-grained and deep-rooted ideas about culture which
are being followed unquestioningly enabling people to enjoy the
true traditions.
Shoko Nomura
JAPAN
|
