The Obi Dyeing Challenge: Australia's 4 Seasons 帯を染める挑戦－オーストラリアの四季

For the first time, during this May and June, the Kyoto Seika Textiles department ran an obi dyeing class for the second year students. The project brief was to dye an Obi with the theme of the four seasons. You were allowed to focus on just one or all four of the seasons and could utilise katazome or yuzen techniques.
この六月、京都精華大学のテキスタイルコースが始めて二年生のために帯を作る授業を行いました。テーマは日本の四季で、型染や友禅染の技法をどちらも利用できました。

Myself and another Master's student, as well as one exchange student from Finland managed to join in with the class. I was given permission to focus on Australia's four seasons as my theme.
私ともう1人の大学院生とフィンランド出身の留学生が参加させてもらいました。オーストラリアの四季をテーマにしてもかまわないと言われました。

Whilst Australia (well, where I'm from at least) does have four distinct seasons, we aren't conscious of these changes in the same way that Japanese people are. Seasons and very subtle changes in between the standard four seasons are celebrated and marked in all kinds of ways in Japan: sweets are made in seasonal shapes such as cherry-blossom petals or hydrangea or pine needles, people send particular fruits and vegetables as seasonal gifts, imagery in Japanese art is tied up with symbolic seasonal combinations like Red leaves and a clear moon for autumn or morning glories and dragonflies for summer.etc etc
オーストラリアには（とくに自家があるキャンベラには）はっきりしている四季がありますが、日本人のように意識していないです。日本では、季節の移り変わりや微妙な違さは色々な場面で見えます。桜やアジサイの和菓子、お中元やお歳暮に旬の果物などを贈る、日本画に季節のシンボルがいっぱい使われているとか。

Japanese sweet I had just last week, shaped like a hydrangea, which flowers during this hot rainy month of June.
ちょうど先週食べたアジサイの生和菓子。さすが皿にも梅雨ってかんじますね。

When I thought about Australia's four seasons, the things that came to mind were things that you wouldn't really put on an obi: bushfires, floods, bright sunshine, Canberra's "fluff trees" that bloom in the spring (see ANU Fluff Trees ), sunburn...haha you get the idea. So instead, I chose to depict the changing cycles of the seasons by making a pattern with the Swift Parrot, a migratory parrot that breeds in Summer in Tasmania and flies across Bass Strait in one go to spend Winter in South Eastern Australia. It returns in the Spring and the cycle continues.
キャンベラの四季を考えて見たときは、帯の模様に適切じゃないことしか思い浮かべなかった！例えば、山火事、じりじりしている太陽、日焼け、大水などなど。だから、その代わりに、四季の流れを表現するために、渡りインコである「オトメインコ」を模様にしようとしました。このちっちゃいインコが夏にオーストラリアの南にあるタスマニア島で繁殖して、海峡をいっきに渡ってから、わりと暖かいビクトリア州で冬を過ごせます。春になるまで、タスマニアへ戻って、サイクルを繰り返します。

Here's an image of my design. I tried to include patterns of the ocean and the flowering eucalypts which the Swift Parrots follow as a main food source.模様にこのインコが探しに行く食材になっているユーカリの花や海を入れました。

almost one full repeat of the design I created to depict Swift Parrots　オトメインコの模様

My design was a repeat, using one stencil and resist paste. I dyed all the circular sections first and then did a second run and after covering all those dyed circles with resist paste, dyed the background green. Oh and did I mention it  takes 5 METRES of fabric for an obi?! Luckily it's only 30-35cm wide but it certainly makes things take longer.一枚の型紙を繰り返して、帯に必要な５メートルにも糊をおきました。その後、この写真に見えるように、だんだん円形の中に染めていきました。

starting out, have pasted the repeat design onto the 5 metres of narrow silk and starting to dye the circles.

slowly but surely.だんだん染めていて。。。

もうちょっと！Just a little bit to go!

Swift Parrot dyed but with the brown katazome resist paste still on fabric

Being the keen bean that I am, I decided to dye my own lining for this obi too (yes, just another 5 metres!). I wanted it to be simple. I love the writings of John Gould, a famous English Ornithologist (bird-man!) who spent time in Tasmania and Australia studying birds. He published these lavish volumes of bird illustrations and writings that are just so wonderful to look at. I used parts of John Gould's fanciful paragraphs on the Swift Parrot to 'write' on the obi lining fabric.

帯の裏地も染めようと思いました！（また５メートルなんて！）ジョン・グールドは１９世紀イギリス人鳥類学者であって、オーストラリアにもしばらく鳥を研究しながらすんでいました。その結果、とても素敵な「オーストラリア鳥類図譜」を５巻で出版しました。その本の文章が華やかで面白かったので、オトメインコについての文章を部分的に裏地に書きました。

John Gould's flowery writings about the Swift parrot, in yellow resist paste. ジョン・グールドの華やかな文章を黄色ぽくにした色糊で

after that, I dyed the whole length this dusty purple. それが乾いたら、この紫をそめました。

I am currently sewing the lining onto my finished fabric but here's a view of them together at the assesment day. Also some of the other student's obi. 

好評会で帯の表と裏地

好評会で二年生の帯生地。ピーマンやトマトや花紋や幾何的模様
some of the second year students' obi fabric. capsicums, tomatoes, circular floral motifs, geometric patterns

more second year obi. morning glories, Kibune Shrine, a giant Carp streamer, peonies　二年生の帯－朝顔、貴船神社と椿、鯉のぼり、牡丹

By the way!!! (once I finish sewing it up...) I will be exhibiting my finished obi at a group exhibition in Kyoto starting next week. It's called "Parade" at 3F Project Room from July 4-16. If you happen to be in Kyoto, please feel free to drop by!!　http://www.3-gai.com/

ちなみに！！！完成した帯を来週から始まる「Parade」というグループ展で展示します！３Fプロジェクトルームで、７月４～１６日です。もし興味があったらぜひ立ち寄ってください！http://www.3-gai.com/

Parade. 6 person group show, 3F Project Room Kyoto, 4-16 July 2013.　６人グループ展「Parade」３FProject Room　京都７月４～１６日

Looking and Learning - Studio Visits 工房見学によってエネルギーを。

「クリエーションに必要なことは、できるだけ多くのものを見たり、体験したり、勉強したり、また遊んだり、そんないろんなことで自分自身の感性を豊かにしていくことだと思います。経験は時間やお金に変えがたいものです。一日一日すべての事の積み重ねが自分達を成長させるエネルギーです。」今井 淳裕、千總　図案家

(my own translation) "To be able to create something you need to look at, experience, study and play with a wide variety of things. I believe all of these things enrich your own sensitivities. Money and time are no match for EXPERIENCE. The accumulation of your experiences each and every day become the energy that allows you to grow and move forward." Imai Atsuhiro, Designer for Chiso, Kyoto-Yuzen Kimono Company

この言葉が机の上に張ってあります。去年、今井さんが京都精華大学で毎年開催されている「京都の伝統美術工芸」講座に発表した時にこの言葉に感動しました。確かに制作したい気持ちを持つだけのが足りないですね。日本で大学院に入ったばかりで、これからの二年間を今井さんがおっしゃったのように時間を豊かに使いたいです！ということで、この二週間に三つの工房を見学しに行って来てしまいました！

I have these words pinned up above my desk. I was able to sit in on a talk given by Imai-san at Kyoto Seika University last year as part of the regularly run course "Kyoto's Traditional Arts & Crafts". As a creator of sorts just starting out, these words really resonated with me. It's true that you can't force creation in a vacuum and something will always be lacking if you produce work with blinders on. Having just entered the 2 year master's course at Kyoto Seika, I am especially keen to make the most of my time and widen my experiences as Imai-san suggested. And so, partly by chance, it happens that I visited 3 different dyeing studios in Kyoto in the past 2 weeks.

The central garden space in Takahashitoku 高橋徳YDSの庭。素敵！

 行って見た一つ目は「高橋徳」という友禅工房。味がある伝統的なビルにあって、一階が座敷のギャラリーと友禅小物の展示室になっています。中心に素敵な庭もあります！それで、二階には素敵なものが作られています！作業中の様子が見えて、染めている着物を見たら、「細かい！」と思うしか出来なかった。防染糊としてゴム糊が使われていて、指で触ってみたら生地に何も置いていないと思うほど細かい糊の線でした。染める人々が１人ずつのスペースがあって、筆や染料が色の試し布が全部並べていた。そういうきちんと整っている作業場所を見ると何よりも羨ましかった！

The first was "Takahashitoku" a Kyoto Yuzen Dyeing Workshop that has been around for 100 years or so in the heart of textiles territory in Kyoto's west. They create quite traditional looking yuzen dyed items and work as a contractor for other kimono companies in Kyoto. It's in this beautiful old building with a gallery and shop downstairs and the magic happening upstairs. We were able to see some kimono being dyed and...just, wow! The resist lines of the yuzen were so fine that you would barely see them were they not using a blue rubber based resist paste. The dedicated workspace for each dyer, with rows of brushes and small dishes with the various colours of dye all ready to go really appealed to the perfectionist in me! I'm standing there thinking, "What am I doing in Master's?! I want to come here and just concentrate on dyeing this ridiculously detailed kimono for 6 hours straight a day!" Call me crazy, perhaps. I was also happy and relieved to see that what I thought were my shonky methods (using laundry pegs and old plastic containers etc) are totally legitimate! Well, I'm not the only one, at least. 

Laundry clips and plastic containers and creative mess is legit! Phew!! 

訪ねてみた二件目は「栗山工房」でした。京都の右京区にあって、自然に囲まれている綺麗な場所です。オーストラリアから旅行に来たイラストレーターに一緒に行きました。工房のツアーで色んな段階を見せてくれました。大きな部屋には染作業に集中している６人ぐらいが居ました。１人ずつが着物一反を染めていくらしいです。それで、糊置きの部屋も見えました。糊板がびっしり頭の上に並べていました。その時間糊置きはしていなかったですが、紙の上に親切に糊置きのやりかたを見せました。何十年もやっている手しかできない速さで丁寧に型紙を繰り返して模様を完璧にあわせました。さすが！

The second atelier I visited was "Kuriyama Kobo" a katazome studio out on the beautiful western edge of Kyoto. I went with a fellow textiles fanatic, Tallulah who was visiting from Australia. We were given a tour of the various parts of the studio. First, the dyeing area where a group of dyers were each quietly working away on one entire length of kimono fabric, kept taut on a special roller system. Clever! Also the pasting room with a very low ceiling where one man was busy smoothing a length of kimono silk (approx 12 metres) onto a sticky wooden table, making sure it remains straight and wrinkle free. This then gets left in the hands of the very skilled paster. There wasn't anything being printed while we were there but the pasting man kindly gave us a quick demo on some paper, flicking the spatula around with such confidence. The studio had a great family vibe about it, the older staff supporting fresh graduates who have recently entered the company and everyone working closely together.

The dyers at Kuriyama Kobo. I want one of these roller systems! 栗山工房の染所

Mmm, blue resist paste. They put this strong blue coloured pigment in their paste to make it easy to see. Looks nasty though.　栗山工房では糊に青いを入れています。使いやすいかもしれないが、見た目はなんか気持ち悪い。

He's never done this before. Not.　全然糊置きしたことないようね。嘘です。

perfectly matched detailed printing.　完璧にあわせた細かい模様。

apparently there are some avid bird watchers at the studio!工房の誰かが鳥が好きそうです＾＾

one of the dyers was dyeing a goldfish pattern. I think this was on linen.　金魚の模様が色差し中。

それでは、最後の工房はロウケツ染めの「青野工房」でした。（今気付いたばっかりだけど、３軒とも違う防染技法を使っている工房だった！）京都の西本願寺の近くにあります。１９８０年に工房を設立した青野保夫さんがその日居て、とても楽しい出会いでした。工房の壁にビートルズの時計やジョン・レノンの写真とかがあったり、ギターも隅に置いたというような雰囲気がある工房で作られている着物や帯は確かにカッコイイ物ばっかりです！今までに見た着物とは全然違う気がします。青野さんの性格がその鮮やかで独特なデザインに出ていると思います。

And finally, (I've just realised that I managed to visit 3 different studios using 3 different resist dyeing techniques! Go me!!) "Aono Kobo" a rouketsu-zome (wax resist dyeing) studio tucked away in the suburbs not too far from Kyoto Station, near Nishi Honganji Temple. This place was such a treat. Aono Yasuo the master of the place is such a character and we were lucky that he was there that day. The walls are decorated with Beatles paraphenalia and the bathroom has become guitar storage, The Kimono that Aono kobo produce are so different from what I have seen before and I think it's really the playful, independant attitude of Aono-san coming through in the designs. Think kimono with words like "PEACE" and "LOVE" spelled out in large abstracted lettering or flame designs or bright blocks of colour with aztec-like border designs. 

Aono-san doing his thing. Applying dye after the wax resist had been hand-painted on. ロウが筆で置いたあと、手早く染めている青野さん。

Aono-san working on this kimono influenced by city nightscapes. 

It was great to hear Aono-san talking (and laughing) about what Kimono mean to him and how others in the Kimono world may view his style as almost taboo but that making something the same way as someone else serves no purpose. He is dedicated to the traditionally held virtue of kimono, that is, beautiful to look at on display as well as bringing out the beauty of the wearer. But at he really builds on this is very playful and unconventional with the placement of design elements, use of colours and fabrics. It was a breath of fresh air to meet someone (especially someone who is Japanese) with an open-minded approach to Kimono. It gives me the hope that Kimono may be able to be kept alive and relevant to young generations.

工房の見学っていうのは他人の創造的な脳にお邪魔するのようなことだと思います。作業のやりかた、何から影響を受けているのか、生活の中に作業がどういう風にに入れているなどが見えます。そういう大切なところが見えてすごくありがたいです。この３つの工房を見に行ってから新しいアイディアやインサイトが出来て、今井さんが京都精華での発表に言った「エネルギー」も与えられたと気がします。

Visiting a studio is like going inside somebody else's creative brain. You see how they work, what they are influenced by, how they integrate their life and their creation. I'm really grateful to have been allowed to see inside these quite private places. These visits have given me new insights and ideas and the energy to move forward that Imai-san spoke about in his lecture.