Itchiku Kubota: What do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?
to
Art Gallery of Grande Prairie 103-9839 103 Ave, Grande Prairie, Alberta T8V 6M7
Itchiku Kubota, "San (Burning Sun)," (detail) 1986
tie-dyeing, ink painting, gold leaf, embroidery on silk crepe (chirimen) with gold and silver wefts, 214 x 128 cm
The exhibition features 45 kimono with brilliant designs brought to life by the creative genius of Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003), an extraordinary artist who won international recognition through exhibitions in North America and Europe for his unconventional designs, distinctive use of color, and intense commitment to his art and craft. His revival and modernization of ‘tsujigahana’, a textile art form lost for centuries, has also assured him a special place in Japanese legacy.
Throughout the years the array of kimono echoed throughout the world: the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands welcomed Kubota’s creations in 1989, Spain followed suit and in 1990, the exhibition went to France for the third time, when it was exhibited in the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. By the mid 1990s they created a sensation at the Smithsonian, Washington, USA and the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The exhibition catalogue unexpectedly became the best ever selling publication in Smithsonian history.
The exhibition was organized by the International Chodiev Foundation
Source: Art Gallery of Grande Prairie