From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru

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Kimono - Audain Art Museum

The word geisha is made up of two characters, gei means “art” or “accomplished” and sha means “person”. Therefore it can be translated as “accomplished person” or “person who lives by the arts”. Geisha were professional entertainers and hostesses, who became an important part of traditional social life for men. They provided a beautiful and sensuous fantasy that all men desired. Their community came to be referred to as karyukai meaning “the flower and willow world”. Geishas were extensively trained in many of the traditional Japanese arts and their services were exclusively for the realm of wealthy men. It was because of these glamourous women that much of the richness of traditional art and entertainment came to survive in modern Japan. The geisha became Japan’s unparalleled conservators of traditional costume, music, song and dance. In the old days, the geisha were considered a valued possession of a city and a measure of its vitality.

In partnerships with the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Collection and augmented with gifts from Ms. Yoshi Karasawa and Mrs. Suzuki this exhibition provides a glimpse into the lives of Geisha.

Organized and circulated by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.