Yukinori Maeda, the founder of COSMIC WONDER, that has always been using clothing as one of their expressing languages, is now partnered with Sumiko Ishii from Kogei Punks Sha, that has been creating space for human spirit, presenting the use of local utensils and washi paper for the ritual in the filmfrom the exhibition.
OMIZUE welcomes their guests with the finest local spring water. The “natural cloth” they worn in the ceremony are actually made of paper, weaved with fibres taken from plants, such as hemp, mulberry, rattan, kozo and basho from local mountains, seas and rivers.
Exhibition “NONO a native spirit of Kami and Cloth” 2021/ Photography by Shinichi Yamazaki
OMIZUE is a ritual to savor spring water. As water is the source of life, it is an indispensable factor in making and manifesting the charm of washi paper.
NONO stands as a word to worship to the day/ Sun, the Moon, God and Buddha.
There is a legend in Kamiseya, a town with a tradition for fuji-ori, in the Tango region of Kyoto, it was God who taught the people how to take fibres out from plants, then to weave fuji cloth and use it to make clothes. Therefore, fuji-ori is affectionately called NONO.
From the perspective of Japanese theology, anything that could nourish mankind is a god. The plants that grow on earth incorporate the love and wisdom of the universe, people can use the plants and then turn them into fabric, through making clothes and wearing them on to become one with the universe. NONO unknowingly represents this beautiful connection and ideology!
However, on the contrary, we sold our souls to a convenient lifestyle, which resulted in heavy pollution, destruction of the environment and the earth, to a point that there is no return.
Exhibition “NONO a native spirit of Kami and Cloth” 2021/ Photography by Shinichi Yamazaki
Exhibition “NONO a native spirit of Kami and Cloth” 2021/ Photography by Shinichi Yamazaki
COSMIC WONDER and Kogei Punks Sha put their thoughts and feelings gathered from their journey, which they studied all the natural fabrics and paper left in various places in Japan into the exhibition held in Iwami Art Museum in Shimane. Through an unique presentation under their exceptional perspectives, they share sweets and water from mountains, orchestrated a symphony by washi paper. They selected different sets of “natural cloth” including Fuji (wisteria), kuzu (arrowroot), kaji (original paper mulberry), kozo (paper mulberry), hemp, ramie, shinanoki (Japanese linden), basho (Japanese banana plant), and ohyo (Manchurian elm), showing the process of extracting fibers from these plants and weaving them into fabrics using various groups of spinning devices such as spinning wheels and looms.
There are also exhibits of potsherds from the Jomon era earthenware, which retained marks of fabric texture, alongside performances using handmade Japanese washi paper and new video together with photography work. The duo put together the most profound reflections from their journeys, for example, the signs that remain in the places they visited, their local experiences and the mystical connection in between, combining material exhibition and lecture to express their feelings from a spiritual realm.
We can see that they are trying their best to exhort and remind us these fabrics had existed long ago, when we benefited from and cherished by the nurturing natural environment. However, in this age of information overflow, what we can choose in the future is precisely reflected in these natural fabrics and handcrafted paper at the present moment.
It is such a shame that we are not able to experience this exhibition in person, but we can rethink and reevaluate our way of living as we all share this same planet. Instead of chasing after the materials outside us, isn’t it better to learn the philosophy from within? Take a look back at our own place and search for our treasures, have some deep thoughts on what can be inherited and what we can do to contribute to this homeland.
“Winter landscape of Oidani” 1971/ Photography by Shozo Sumita
「NONO a spirit of kami and cloth」展覽 日期: 20/3/2021 – 16/5/2021 地點: 島根藝術中心岩見美術館展示室C “Grand Toit”
Period: March 20 – May 16 (Sun), 2021 Venue: Iwami Art Museum Exhibition room C Shimane Arts Center “Grand Toit”