Shindigo - Hiroyuki Shindo 16th.July.2010

On 15th July, I visited Hiroyuki Shindo's atelier in Miyama. Thirty years ago, he and his family moved to this village because it's possible to get good ash there for using in the indigo-dying process. 

Since he was young, he has collected a lot of indigo cloth and garments from all over the world for research,which he now shows to other people. They are displayed on the second floor of his atelier,The little Indigo Museum .

His main artwork is objets, but he also makes yukata (casual light kimono) and handtowels amongst other things.
His small rag cloths are made into beautiful patchwork cloths by his mother,and into pretty bags and pouches by his wife Chikako.
Some time ago, when I was ordering one of his yukata, he showed me a range of  cloths to choose from. Chikako advised me to get a summer kimono (hito-e) rather than a yukata, because it would have a much longer life, and I agreed.
I chose a pale cream colored cloth with Shindigo design.

He has an advanced technique. Sometimes, when people decide to buy his handtowels (tenugui) because they have a nice texture and quality and are good to use, they don't know that he's a famous artist. I think that is the sign of a true textile.

He has extensively studied and researched indigo-dyeing and shibori to create his own original artwork which fuses these two techniques. He calls it "Shindigo". He has an advanced technique but his artwork is very minimalist, so it looks simple even though it's very complex. From looking at his finished work, it's impossible to see the effort that he puts in. For me, that is complete artwork - perfect timing, perfect sense of space, perfect balance.

His small rag cloths are made into beautiful patchwork cloths by his mother,and into pretty bags and pouches by his wife Chikako.

Armel Barraud 2010 10th. July Seikado Gallery

For 2 months she has been in Kyoto for an Artist in Residence with Franco Japonais Intitute.
She is staying at Villa Kujoyama.

She is begining to make her work in the kura (storehouse) gallery at Seikado.

I went to meet Armel to at seikado - that is the oldest metal crafts company in Japan.

She wanted to ask me some questions about her work. I could just help a little bit.

According to Seikado's owner Mr.Ymanaka's blog, Armel had showed her work at an exhibition at Maison et Objet in France. He invited her to come to use the Seikado storehouse to create her works.

She will show her works there from Sept 11th to Sept 20th as an installation.

She also studied animation and she also studied bobbin lace. She uses a good combination of traditional techniques with her own original techniques. Her metalwork looks like fluid one line drawing, thin delicate sketches which are like storyboard images. The lighting casts shadows of the works on the wall behind them, so when I look at her work, it seems to move.
This "sketch" of many parts creates an enjoyable story for me.

I think it will be an interesting exhibition.

The owner's wife, Kazuko Yamanaka is a metalwork artist who makes crochet objects and large works as well as beautiful jewellery.