Remake Project 2010 24th.April-8th.May GALLERYGALLERY

Cloth that is too special to be thrown away is kept in chests for long periods of time. In the Remake Project, I take them into my care for you and remake them to accentuate your life so that you can enjoy reusing them. For this current exhibition, I have taken 4 pairs of Keiko Kawashima's pants into my care and remade them. this is The Case of Keiko Kawashima .

When I use things so much that they become used up, I think it's nice that they can be turned into Japanese dusters (zoukin).  

Exhibition, Gallery Maronie, Kyoto, 2008.

The shape of a cotton kimono is straight, and the material is natural. I think this is a complete process to make zoukin. Western clothes are constructed from a lot more pieces of fabric using complex pattern-making, so it is much more difficult for them to become zoukin. This is why I enjoy the meandering path of remaking them on their way to becoming dusters. It's not artwork, but an everyday practice, because originally textiles exist as daily items.

Using red stitches, I gradually remade some black pants where they were stained, thin and threadbare, so that they gradually became redder and redder. I've been wearing them since 1999 and they're turning into beautiful red zoukin.

At Gallery Gallery EX, Kyoto, in 2002, I had hoped to have more artwork, a number of friends gave clothes into my care, I remade them for the show and returned them to the owners after the exhibition. I didn't have any works left in my possession after that show as everything had been given back.

From 2007 I made merchandise. And so, from the current show I have co-ordinated plastic and other cloth to become hats, dresses and knitted shirts. When I construct with plastic, the work isn't biodegradable so fusion with cloth doesn't create beautiful zoukin or upgrade the value of the object in an ecological sense. It forces me to consider where the end-product will finish up. In this case, I think it's best not to create objects which are entirely new, however I do still have strong desires to do so, and this issue plays on my mind every day.

Beer Mug Rankai 2010 7.April-9.April

I went to Sapporo as I had been invited to be on the jury panel for The 8th Beer Mug Rankai . This trip began with a surprise when ANA in-flight service was suspended and I couldn't even find coffee on the menu. I arrived at Chitose Airport and went directly to the Jury Meeting Hall at Sapporo Artpark t in the snow. The setting was a beautiful place full of outdoor sculptures. When I went into the hall, there were over 800 mugs and tumblers lined up. Isn't this a difficult to judge? I had hoped that if I finished judging early, I could visit Moerenuma Park , designed by Isamu Noguchi, but there was no way.

on the first day of judging we selected outstanding works, and on the second day created the list of finalists. The judging process was done smoothly. I thought that a lacquer work and another using marquetry (wood inlay) were beautiful, but I had to wonder about the aesthetics of beer being poured into these vessels...

Glass and coloured materials give the beer froth a fascinating, awesome effect. I really did my best because each jury member was required to give a Juror's Award. The judges report will be available on the Beer Mug Rankai website, so please take a look at it.

Asahara Chiyoji is a famous glass artist who is the Chief Judge and initially proposed this competition. I had previously met him as a Judge of the Itami Craft Competition. Sometimes after that I met him at his exhibitions, but that's all. This time, he talked about when he established the glass studio in Otaru while we dined on Chitose Zuru (sake) and Ezo Shika Ruibe (frozen sashimi). We had a good time. I went around Chitose Airport looking for souvenirs; it was full of sweets and I did some taste-testing until I was too full. I had heard about Machimura Farm Milk from the taxi driver and bought some, as well as some salmon jerky for my daughter, who likes to drink. Sapporo is a great town.