Exhibition Kumihimo - The art of Japanese silk braiding, by Domyo

Japan House São Paulo exhibits an exhibition on the art of Japanese silk braiding, recognised as heritage

intangible heritage of Japan

Kumihimo exhibition explores the history and evolution of silk cord and is presented by Domyo, a family business in Tokyo that has been producing silk handcrafted silk cords since 1652

Saint Paulo, May 2022 - Between 24 May May and 28 August, the Japan House São Paulo presents the free exhibition Kumihimo - the art of Japanese silk braiding, by Domyo. withsilk, by Domyo. For the first time in Brazil, the show is presented by Domyo, a traditional family company based in Tokyo, which for more than ten generations has handcrafted silk cords, handmade by artisans who work exclusively for the company. exclusively for the company. In the exhibition, visitors can learn about the the historical evolution of kumihimo at Japan, understand the construction of the braids, as well as explore future possibilities for their use, all based on three large installationsmore than 30 reproductions of pieces from kumihimo tools used by artisans used by artisans and videos with accessibility resources. A exhibition is part of Japan House's global itinerancy project, which has passing through Los Angeles, now in São Paulo, and then in London.

In Japanese, kumihimo means "braided ropes". The term is used to refer to the tying together of three or more bundles of silk threads to form strands from the diagonal overlapping of these strands in a regular and uniform manner. uniformly. The results can be simple braids made with three strands (known as "French braid"), or more complex, containing up to 140 strands of yarn. In Japan, the kumihimo has been used over the centuries centuries for various functions, as accessories for clothing and ornaments for for weapons and armour, presenting a unique evolution. One of the types most known by the Japanese is the one used on obijime - the cord that is tied over the sash of a traditional kimono.

Divided into three moments - History, Structure and Future -, the exhibition occupies the entire second floor of the Japan House São Paulo, including a new 100 m² room, which will be incorporated into this floor as of this exhibition. this exhibition. In the historical part, the focus is on the origins and evolution of the technique through the centuries. The supports used in the production of the strings, called marudai (used to produce square) and takadai (high support that allows flat braids), are presented to the public in the Structure section, which also displays the tools used in the processes of dyeing, preparing and production of the strands. Finally, visitors can check out the the latest braiding structures developed by Domyoin addition to pieces created in collaboration with experts from areas such as the textile industry and mathematical science, which present possibilities of future applications for the technique.

The kumihimo stands out for both its strength and elasticity, determined by the braiding and binding methods, as well as the variation in fibre orientation angles, so it is possible to find carbon tube kumihimo-like carbon tube structures can be found in a range of industrial applications, from golf clubs golf clubs and aircraft to orthopaedic prosthetics. Exclusively for this exhibition, a model based on geometric topology has been created in partnership with the Tachi Labat the University of Tokyo. O model presented is the result of the activity of this laboratory, where researchesuisitors create usable structures and cellular materials with unique properties based on the geometry of the origamisystems, in systems with joints, in differential geometry and so on. Through this work, they seek to understand the nature of form and function, through observation and also the creation of various phenomena. This collaboration extends mathematically the potential offered by kumihimo to create graphic patterns graphical patterns, three-dimensional structures and functional systems.

Ceramics dating from the early Jōmon period (between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago) already featured decorative patterns decorative patterns of a primitive form of printed kumihimo , but the greatest advances in kumihimo in Japan occurred from the Asuka period (592-710). Sua tradition ranges from ornaments for weapons and armour and armour, kimonos and vestments for ceremonies, decorative elements for shrines shrines and other religious objects, as well as in the performing arts. Today, the technique is also being incorporated into contemporary fashion, as in the creations of of the Japanese designer Akira Hasegawa (1989). "I work to transmit, today, the emotions of a hundred years ago. I am driven by the structural beauty and cozy feeling found in old clothes," comments Hasegawa.

"For us it is very it is very important for us to be able to put the Brazilian public in contact with this significant cultural asset of Japan and present the experience and knowledge acquired by the acquired by the Domyo company since 1652. Exhibitions like this one Japan House São Paulo's mission of presenting the Japan of today with practices that practices that can be perpetuated for centuries. And they reiterate our approach based also based on symbolic weaving", comments Natasha Barzaghi Geenen, Cultural Director of Japan House São Paulo. Cultural Director of Japan House São Paulo.

As part of the JHSP Accessible programme, the exhibition Kumihimo -The art of Japanese silk braiding, by Domyo, still counts with audio description resources, and tactile benches.

About Domyo 

The institution Yusoku Kumihimo Domyo, was founded in 1652 in the city of Edo (the Tokyo of the Modern Era), and to this day maintains a shop in the Ikenohata area of Ueno. During the the Edo period, Domyo sold laces, produced mainly for scabbards and produced mainly for scabbards and sword hilts. From the Meiji period (1868-1912) it began to sell obijime to tie to tie on the kimono sashes, as well as haorihimoa cord used to tie the front of the haoria kind of formal jacket worn with a kimono jacket worn with a kimono and which is open at the front. To this day all the products are hand dyed and woven by artisans who work exclusively for Domyo. work exclusively for Domyo. Another important aspect of the work of the institution is the research, restoration and reproduction of kumihimo history, on commission from both the Shōsōin Treasury House Office of the Imperial Household Agency, and from various temples, shrines and museums throughout Japan. Such activities have produced a rich variety of techniques and knowledge useful for the purposes of academic research, preservation, dissemination and advancement of this technology.

Service:

Exhibition Kumihimo - The art of Japanese silk braiding with silk, by Domyo

Organisation: Yusoku Kumihimo Domyo (Kiichiro Domyo), Mari Hashimoto

Period: from 24 May to 28 August 2022 

Location: Japan House São Paulo - Avenida Paulista, 52 (2nd floor) - São Paulo, SP

Schedule: Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 6pm; Saturdays, 9am to 7pm; Sundays and public holidays, 9am to 6pm.

Entry free of charge. Reservation in advance (optional): https://agendamento.japanhousesp.com.br/

The exhibition has accessibility accessibility (Libras, audio description, tactile elements).

About Japan House São Paulo (JHSP):

Japan House is an international initiative with the Japan House is an international initiative with the purpose of raising awareness about Japanese culture today and disseminate government policies. Opened on April 30, 2017, Japan House House São Paulo was the first to open its doors, followed by the units in London London and Los Angeles. Established as one of the main points of interest Paulista Avenue, JHSP's façade, proposed by architect Kengo Kuma, highlights Kengo Kuma, the Japanese art of mortise and tenon using Hinoki wood. Since 2017, the institution has promoted more than thirty exhibitions and around a thousand events in areas such as architecture, technology, gastronomy, fashion and art, for which received more than two million visitors. The institution's digital offer was boosted and diversified during the Covid-19 Pandemic, reaching more than seven million people by 2020. In the same year, it expanded geographically its activities to other Brazilian states and Latin American countries. JHSP is certified by LEED in the Platinum category, the highest level of sustainability for sustainability of buildings; and by Bureau Veritas with the SafeGuard seal - certification certification of excellence in health security measures against the Pandemic of Covid-19.