Friday Inspiration - The Art of Kuboku and Hisako Takaku

I've done a little bit with the Indonesian art of batik, but hadn't known until recently that Japan also has a wax resist dyeing tradition.  Roketsozome  traditionally used to dye kimono and obis and is today is nearly a lost art.  Hisako Takaku learned roketsozome from her father, artist Kuboku and is one of the last practitioners.  Last year, the San Diego Museum of Art hosted the first exhibition of the father/daughter pair's work outside of Japan, Dyeing Elegance - Asian Modernism and the Art of Kuboku and Hisako Takaku.

It's too late to go view these beautiful works in person, but the museum has an information page with videos available on it's website that are very interesting.  The demonstration by Hisako is about an hour long, but don't let that put you off - it's fascinating!  There are a lot of introductions and thank you's for the first 5 minutes, a background talk until about the 15 minute mark, and then the demonstration begins.

Looking at the kimono in close up really shows the fine detail and the shading they can achieve!  Below is the Winter Kimono with Plum Blossoms and below that a close up detail:

Felt Cafe has a great photo demonstration of how roketsozome is practiced with indigo in Kyoto - definitely worth a look.

Summer is definitely not the time to be indigo dyeing outside in Phoenix, so I think I'll work out some designs and give this a try come fall!

Happy Creating!  Deborah