To all who appreciate "cultural diversity in art"
Schedule
The three related art exhibitions:
- "Voices from A Minority Culture in Japan: Kimonos from Amami Islands" at the University Gallery, September 3-26, 2002
- "Images of Amami Islands: Makoto Koshima" at the Humanities Center, September 3-26, 2002
- "Fabric of Life: Kimonos in Japanese and Contemporary Prints: Japanese Kimonos" at the Janet Turner Museum, August 28-September 30, 2002
7-8 PM: Public Lecture from Dr. Liza Dalby at PAC134
8-8:30 PM: Performance of Tokyo Izena no Kai at PAC 134
8:30-10PM: Receptions at the University Gallery & the Humanities Center
Department of Art and Art History California State University, Chico Chico, CA 95929-0820 Tel: 530-898-5331
Background
A fisherman going home with a heavy Spanish mackerel. (Photo by Makoto Koshima)
In this exhibition, the first of its kind in the U.S., the rich culture of the Amami Islands is revealed through the art of the kimono.
It has been said that art is a window through which to view the world. Since the 1980s, Art Education in the U.S. has been seeing the value of art as a way to experience points of view of the non-western world. This exhibition is dedicated to the further understanding and enjoyment of one of the special areas of Japan.
Although Japan is often seen as a mono-cultural country, it is actually composed of rich and colorful cultures, spread over more than two thousand miles on the backs of a chain of volcanic mountains rising out of the ocean. The culture of the Amami Islands is one great example.
Culture and History of the Amami Islands:
The Amami islands are rich in culture, located between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, about 250 miles south of mainland Japan. The Amami Islands are composed of 8 islands from North to South - Amami Ohshima, Kikaijima, Kakeromajima, Ukejima, Yorojima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, and Yoron. The center of the islands is Amami-Ohshima with the capital city of Naze (approximately 50,000 population). The climate of the Amami islands is Sub-tropical with an average temperature of 70 F. (21 C.) and an annual precipitation of 120 inches (3,000 millimeters), giving life to lush rainforests and wildlife.
Although the Amami Islands are currently well known as beautiful tourist islands with fascinating wildlife, gorgeous beaches and impressive coral reefs, they have had an outstanding history. The Islands have historically been a very poor agricultural region whose only product for export was sugar cane, since the coral islands are not well suited to agriculture. In addition, due to their geographical location between mainland Japan and eastern Asia, the island has had a tragic destiny, being invaded by different countries throughout its history.
One of the most popular folk dances in the Amami islands, this dance is done in gratitude for a good harvest. (Photo by Makoto Koshima)
The name of the Amami Islands first appeared in literature in the Japanese classic Nihonshoki in 616 C.E. The history of the Amami Islands is mysterious, since many historical records have been lost, especially during the Satsuma colonial period from the 17th to the 19th centuries. According to Nobori (1949), the history of the Amami Islands is divided mainly into two periods: the period of Amami semi-independence until the 13th century and the colonial periods under the Ryukyu (Okinawa Islands) Kingdom from the 13th to 17th centuries and the feudal clan of Satsuma in the Tokugawa period from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Amami Islands became officially a part of Japan after the Meiji Restoration in 1871. The most recent occupation following World War II is also unforgettable history for people of the islands, where from 1945 to 1954 the USA occupied the islands.
Due to the location of the Amami Islands, it can be said that the culture of the islands is more influenced by other Asian countries than mainland Japan. In fact, the Amami Islands were especially well known as a transit base of trading from China to mainland Japan since the 7th century. As a result, foreign cultures of Asia were imported and flourished in the islands. The culture of Amami Islands has interwoven mainland Japanese and other Asian cultures throughout its entire history.
One of the foreign imported cultural artifacts was the style of kimono called Tsumugi. It became a main product of Amami-Ohshima and exists even in the 21st century as an aesthetic symbol of identity for people of the island.
Black Diamonds: Ohshima Tsumugi
Islanders often say that there are two black diamonds here: brown sugar from the locally grown sugar canes and the brown-black Ohshima tsumugi. During the 19th century, commoners were forbidden on pain of death both to wear the formal tsumugi and taste the rich processed brown sugar. Those pleasures were reserved for the ruling classes, who took the sugar as a yearly tribute and wore the elaborate Ohshima tsumugi exclusively.
Amami-Ohshima’s prestigious 1,300-year-old tradition of silk fabrics continues into the 21st century as Ohshima Tsumugi (pongee). The roots of Tsumugi may reach back to the patterned Indian fabric (Ikat) which spread all over Asia in ancient times. The Japanese kimono with small repeating patterns is called Kasuri, which appears in a number of places in Japan besides the Amami Islands. This special fabric was popular in Sumatra and Java and finally reached Amami-Ohshima through the trading sea route from the South China Sea to the East China Sea during the 8th century.
Unlike the typical Japanese kasuri, Ohshima-tsumugi is distinctive in its shiny black-brown color, symbolic design, and the complexity of the process of creating. Ohshima Tsumugi represents all the qualities of Japanese high-grade silk fabric with symbolic patterns and textures. It is dyed with a special mud and wood from a native tree (Teichigi/Sharinbai) which exists only in Amami-Ohshima. It is made through a complicated process, through which it takes up to one year to complete a single cloth.
The Process of Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi
Ohshima has a long tradition of silk production. Over the centuries a number of techniques were developed which resulted in the unique Ohshima tsumugi silk fabric. The process of creating Ohshima Tsumugi is very complicated with the combination of Some (dyeing) and Ori (weaving with warp and woof), but it could be divided into the following main six steps.
1. Zuan (Design): The design of Ohshima Tsumugi is written on graph paper as series of dots.
2. Norihari (Starching): Starching and drying a group of threads with Funori (glue made from seaweed). For the process of weaving preliminary blocks, the necessary number of threads is glued together.
3. Shime (pronounced "Shee-may": Binding): Weaving preliminary blocks before pattern dyeing. Silk thread (the woof) is bound with cotton thread (the warp) according to the design before dying. The total binding spots in one cloth can reach several million.
4. Some (pronounced "So-may": Dyeing)
Step one: Initial dyeing with Teichigi (Sharinbai): Broken pieces of the local Teichigi tree are boiled for 14 hours in a big pot. The binding threads are dyed in this liquid 30 or 40 times and become dark-red.
Teichigi Tree pieces
Step two: Secondary dyeing with Mud: The binding thread is then dyed again in mud 3 or 4 times. Eventually the thread turns black. These two dying processes of step one & step 2 are repeated 5 times. It takes 10 years to learn the dying technique.
5. Kakoh (Additional process): Unraveling preliminary blocks and dyeing preliminary woven blocks. In this process the cotton thread which binds the silk threads is carefully untied taking care not to damage the silk. The bound spots are still white because they were tied so tightly. These spots are then dyed with another colorful dye.
6. Ori (Weaving): The silk threads are arranged on the Takahata (weaving machine). As the weaving begins several clear figures, which are called Kasuri designs, appear on the cloth. It takes about one month to weave a cloth.
Different Types of Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi
Amami-Ohshima tsumugi are characterized by a rich shiny black-brown color due to the combination of teichigi and mud dyeing which originated in the 18th century. In response to trends and societal needs, it has developed in diverse ways over the last fifty years. As a result, it became possible to create diverse colors through Ohshima tsumugi. There are five main categories of some (dyeing) in Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi.
1. Doro-ohshima: the traditional process of dyeing by Teichigi (Sharinbai) and doro (mud). The characteristics of this dorozome are a shiny texture with a deep black and brown color.
2. Doroai-ohshima: a type of dyeing where the cloth is redyed with doro and teichigi after a first dye of Ai (Japanese indigo). Due to the combination of doro and ai, the background color is deep back and the design is indigo.
3. Kusaki-dorozome Ohshima: developed from traditional natural dyes of plants other than Teichigi and Ai and redyed by Teichigi and Doro.
4. Iro Ohshima: A new Ohshima fabric with a wide variety of brilliant colors from chemical dyes over a base of single solid colors. It is used for modern designs.
5. Shiro Ohshima: Without dyeing the thread itself, colors are added to part of the design based on the background color of the silk. Often used for summer tsumugi.
Traditional designs (Gara) of Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi
A special feature of traditional Ohshima tsumugi dyeing is the use of a dark black mud dug by the farmers from their rice fields. Bundles of woof and warp threads bound with cotton string in carefully measured sequences are repeatedly immersed in the mud. After many immersions and much rubbing, all the exposed areas are dyed a rich black-brown. After unwrapping the thread and weaving it on the ancient handlooms, simple geometrical patterns are produced that the weavers have traditionally named for ordinary everyday objects which they find around them. The following patterns are examples of traditional designs of Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi which are especially found on female kimonos.
1. Tatsugo gara (female): an abstract motif of the combination of cycad plants and snakeskin of the poisonous Habu, which exists only in the Amami islands. This design originated in the region of Tatsugo.
2. Akinabara (female): abstracts the weave of bamboo baskets called Sanbara. There are different colors of red, blue, and purple, originally designed in the region of Akina
3. Warikomi gara (female): It is said to be very difficult to weave the complicated kasuri patterns. It almost looks like a Japanese pen and ink painting (“sumi-e”).
4. Kikkoh gara (male): Unlike designs for female’s tsumugi, repeated small designs are often used for male’s tsumugi. The design of kikkoh (turtle shells) is one of the most popular traditional designs, which is originally from the 7th century in Japan.
In addition to these, lucky designs of seigaiha (waves), manji-gara (swastikas), and uroko-gara (fish scales) are traditionally used as talismans in Japanese design and are now used as lucky designs which bring happiness.
To understand the cultural background and the aesthetic of Tsumugi is to appreciate the history of the cultural value of art in Japan. The kimono has always been a wonderful communicative tool of art for people to express their cultural aesthetics.
Modern Design in Ohshima Tsumugi
Shikishi-zume
("A large squire card for writing;" Doro-ohshima, 1990): The rhythm of geometric shapes of shikishi is often used as the material for Japanese poems and haiku.
Nile no Uta
("Poem of Nile;" Doro-ohshima, 1992): Recalls the ancient mystery of 3,000 years ago—the Egyptian civilization which flourished by the Nile created hieroglyphics and mural art.
Aikana no Koibumi
("Love letter from Aikana;" Doro-ohshima, 1993): “With Aikana’s warm heart—she pines for her lover Saigo, a hero of the revolution, and writes endless love letters as she awaits his return."
Genyu
("Playing in Black;" Doro-ohshima, 1996): Bold curvy streams—they might be the fabric of the endless universe. Or they may be waves crashing through time.
Asa
("Morning;" Shiro Ohshima, 1996): Butterflies flying in bright Amami’s morning sky. Picturesque designs express the sun and light of the southern islands.
Utsuroi
("Floating;" Doro-ohshima, 1997): Mysterious shine from a misty moon—this one-sided design is very modern among Ohshima Tsumugi.
Hikari to Kaze no Michi
("Road of Light and Wind;" Iro Ohshima, 1998): It is as if the Southern sunshine were created from the colors of the ocean, mountains, and sky, creating a light of hope.
Koushin
("A bundle of light;" Doro-ohshima, 1998): As if a shimmering of light appeared in the design of the kasuri—the light is reflected by all as a mirror.
Kagerou
("Heat Haze;" Doroai-ohshima, 1998): In a clear spring sky, the haze of heat rising as if flame—the design describes this multi-layered refraction of light.
About This Exhibit
There have been many Japanese kimono exhibitions of mainstream Japanese cultural significance. However, there has never been this type of Kimono exhibition in the U.S. based on this particular regional art. To understand the diversity of the Japanese kimono, one must consider the different aesthetic and cultural background of each region.
Difficulty arises from the great complexity inherent in teaching multiculturalism in classrooms, partly due to the limitations of time and facilities in schools. Especially the fallout from the tragic events of September 11, 2001 threatens understanding of different cultural beliefs and values. But, at the same time, it is true that this fallout has also awakened us to reconsider the importance of multicultural understanding.
Art education is not a subject matter which should be taught only in schools, but rather it should be a life long search for meaning and identity in society through being exposed to different art and art activities. To do so, collaborative activity is very important to effectively draw people's attentions to recognize the importance of art. It is impossible to fully enlighten people about the value of art in different cultures in a limited classroom setting. Therefore, it is indispensable to continue to provide cultural events and art exhibitions.
We are very pleased to have such a significant collaborative exhibition here in Chico with the support of many. We hope that many people visit these exhibitions to think of the diversity in art and the cultural value in art. We believe that understanding the historical and cultural relationship between Japan and the rest of Asia through these art exhibitions also will help in understanding the relationship between the US and other countries through art.
Masami Toku, Project director
References:
- Dalby, Liza (1993). Kimono: Fashioning Culture. New Haven and London. Yale University Press.
- Honba Amami Ohshima Tsumugi Kyodou Kumiai (2001). A Centennial Journal: A Journey of Tsumugi in Amami Ohshima. Naze-shi.
- Nobori, Shoumu. (1949). Daiamamishi (translated in “History of Amami”). Kagoshima, Amamisha Press.
- Shigeno, Yukoh. (1973). Amami Senshoku Shi (translated in “History of Amami’s Fabric”). Kagoshima, Amami Bunka Kenkyujyo.
(Alphabetical order)
California State University, Chico
Mr. Jon Aull, Mr. Juri Brilts, Dr. Thomas LeBlanc, Ms. Shigemi Minetaka, Prof. Vernon Patrick, Mr. Eric Pawloski, Ms. Thomasin Sax, Ms. Betty Skala, Mr. Jon Slaughter, Ms. Catherine Sullivan, Mr. Jason Tannen, Prof. Brooks Thorlaksson, Mr. Joe Wills, Ms. Susan Yonts, and Department of Art and Art History
Amami Ohshima, Japan
Mr. Makoto Koshima, Mr. Shousei Oki, Mr. & Mrs. Toku, Honba Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi Kyoudoukumiai (Honba Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi Cooperative Society for Amami Islands), Amami-Gunto Chiiki Sangyo Shinko Bunka Kyokai, (Regional Industrial Promotion Foundation) and Naze City
Sponsors
The Christensen Fund
The Activity Fee Council, Associated Students of the California State University, Chico
Credits
Text: Dr. Masami Toku, Dept. of Art & Art History
Design: Ms. Lindsey Lodd, IMC Graphics
Calligraphy: Ms. Masako Tokunaga
Photography: Mr. Makoto Koshima
Photography: Mr. Futoshi Hamada
Photography: Mr. Jeff Teeter, IMC Photography
Photography: Mr. Davin Schveidl, IMC Photography
Printing: University Printing Services
