THINKING OF JAPAN, A MEDITATION

(September 14 - October 21, 2023)

Cavin-Morris Gallery is pleased to present Thinking Of Japan, A Meditation.  Cavin-Morris has had various involvements and interests in aspects of Japanese visual culture since the early 2000’s.  We were first beguiled by the textiles, folk art, incense, and the cuisine of the culture. 

We developed a huge appreciation for Japanese contemporary ceramics which inspired us to develop a program in the gallery.  Our ceramics are contemporary and are both utilitarian and sculptural.  We are featuring works by Hiroshi Aoki, Matsumoto Haruyuki, Osamu Inayoshi, Yukiya Izumita, Tsubusa Kato, Ryoji Koie, Akihiro Nikaido, Takuro Shibata, Keiichi Shimizu, Nozomu Shinohara, Shinji Suzuki, Akira Takeuchi, Ichikawa Toru, Koichi Uchida, Hiroyuki Wakimoto, Kazu Yamada and Makoto Yamaguchi.  

Boro (patched and repaired) indigo textiles differ from quilts in that they are not pieced and sewn in a planned progression.  They are essentially an accumulation of farmer’s family histories patched together and repainted over decades, a reflection of the makers’ frugality and respect for cotton. Many of the boros are enhanced with stitches called sashiko, which not only pieced additional fabric to worn spots on the textiles adding both weight and warmth, but also adding lively stitched patterns. The lovely variations in deep blues and the rough versus smooth textures also make them visually arresting.  While their production continued into the 1950’s, the availability of cotton after World War II lessened the need for this ascetic practice.   

In our spotlight niche we feature a compilation of cotton and hemp bags. Some, called sakabukuro, were used to squeeze and strain rice for making sake.  Other larger horn bags, so called because of their distinctive shape, were used to gather such items as grains, beans and rice, and dyed with inedible persimmon juice, which like indigo, is a natural fabric strengthener.  They are also patched boro style, both with other pieces of asa (hemp) cloth or with configurations of sashiko stitching.

There are also several pieces of mingei (folk art) including a wonderful shop sign painting of a paint brush that resembles Mt. Fuji, all the more wonderful with delicious crackle in the paint.  There is also a carved protector figure called a Yambushi, or warrior priest.  Two heavy iron boat anchors, delicate despite their weight, resemble octopi scuttling across the ocean floor.

Contemporary artist-printmaker Yuko Kimura adds to the exhibition with her art, made of old Japanese silk worm-eaten paper on which she has printed, and then stitched into delicate sculptures.  

We greatly enjoy sharing and making this personal first exhibition of the season available to the public.  We submit it as a demonstration of our long love Japanese visual culture.

We thank our friend Stephen Szczepanek of Sri Threads, for his generous scholarship.

For additional information please contact info@cavinmorris.com or call us at 212-226-3768