Symphony of Light, Kubota (5 of a series 80}

So I tend to use my time at Quilting by the Lake as an "Art Holiday" visiting any exhibits that are happening locally.  Well this year, I hit the jack pot!!  The Munson - Proctor -Williams Arts Institute in Utica, NY is hosting an amazing exhibit of the work of Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003).  Kubota is credited with reviving and modernizing the nearly forgotten 400 year old  textile technique of Tsujigahana. 

The exhibit includes 48 nearly 7 foot Kimonos.  Some of stand alone pieces.  Some are series that are meant to be shown together.  There is also part of Kubota's amazing Symphony of Light.  Although only 36 are shown, the complete series consists of 80, yes you read that right, 80 kimonos that represent the grandeur of the universe.  Individually they really are a glory, but together they show the true talent of a master artist.  The 5 that they grouped together from Symphony of Light spanned the width of 27 feet!





The Kimonos are made on silk crepe with a long, labor intensive process of painting, dyeing,
embroidery and embellishing.  The dyeing process is daunting enough, but the hand stitching on the pieces is what creates the texture that brings the pieces alive.








I also bought the book, The Textile Artistry of Itchiku Kubota which I can highly recommend.  The catalog has the right blend of background information and gorgeous photos.  So many times I'm disappointed by an exhibits' book, but this one I can see myself reading over and over.


I promise to do a future post on the actual logistics of the modernized Tsujigahana process, but I thought for today, I would just let you drink in all that is Kubota.

So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?