A New Show Explores How a Textile Form Invented by Peasants Inspired Rei Kawakubo and Other Top Fashion Designers—See Images Here
While museums around the globe are closed to the public, we
are spotlighting each day an inspiring exhibition that was
previously on view. Even if you can’t see it in person, allow us to
give you a virtual look.
“Boro Textiles: Sustainable Aesthetics”
Japan Society, New York
What the museum
says: “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.
…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.”
Why it’s worth a look: One of the most
pressing issues facing the fashion world right now is that of
sustainability, so it’s a perfect time for this nuanced look at the
impact that a specific cultural practice can contribute to the
field.
More than 50 archival pieces are on display in the galleries,
culled from the collection of the late cultural anthropologist
Chuzaburo Tanaka, and juxtaposed with garments by contemporary
practitioners who have taken up the mantle
of boro. An orange patterned bodice by the
fashion designer Rei Kawakubo is shown with a charcoal gray
ensemble by Yohji Yamamoto. Meanwhile, mixed-media textiles by
Susan Cianciolo and Christina Kim show how the form can
be applied to a contemporary practice.
Alongside the historic works, photographs by Kyoichi Tsuzuki
show people cloaked in textiles, highlighting the human element
that is so often forgotten or ignored within the garment production
industry.
What it looks like:
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Yohji Yamamoto, suit from Fall/Winter
2006-07. The Mary Baskett Collection. Photograph by Scott
Hisey.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Textiles by Christina Kim, courtesy of
the artist.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Kyoichi Tsuzuki, BORO AOMORI,
(2018). Courtesy of Amuse Museum, Chuzaburo Tanaka Collection.
Kyoichi Tsuzuki, BORO
AOMORI (2018). Courtesy of Amuse Museum, Chuzaburo Tanaka
Collection.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons, Dress
from Adult Delinquent Collection, Spring/Summer 2010. The Mary
Baskett Collection. Photograph by Rob Deslongchamps.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
Susan Cianciolo, Untitled
(tapestry) (2015-16). Courtesy of the artist and Bridget
Donahue, NYC.
Susan Cianciolo, Tapestry 3
(2017). Courtesy of the artist and Bridget Donahue, NYC.
Installation view, “Boro Textiles.”
Photo: Richard Goodbody, courtesy of the Japan Society.
The post A New Show Explores How a Textile Form Invented by
Peasants Inspired Rei Kawakubo and Other Top Fashion Designers—See
Images Here appeared first on artnet News.
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