The Dust of The World, Washed by The Droplets of Dew group exhibit in Hiketa, Higashikagawa, Japan
Shoyu Yukata / collaboration / group exhibition / 2018
This Shoyu Yukata is made out of used shoyu filtration cloths in collaboration with master tailors from the town of Hiketa, Japan : Mieko Kusaka, Toyoko Veta and Emiko Kimura.
Yukata, meaning “bathing clothing,” was traditionally worn after bathing in communal baths and functions as a quick way to cover up the body and absorb remaining moisture. It is a casual, summer wear version of the kimono that is usually unlined and made out of cotton or synthetic fiber. The soy filtration cloth is imbedded with memories, aromas and beauty, reflected through the rips and patches that are a result of pressing the fermented raw shoyu paste to separate wheat and soy residue through layers of filtration. By choosing to use this cloth, I am drawing from the history of the town and of the labor of shoyu production. This Yukata is made to my measurements and embodies my experience with this place. Shoyu filtration cloths were repurposed into something beautiful and identifiable to Japanese people. “Shoyu Yukata” is an artifact of Hiketa, encapsulating the spirit and the soul of place.
This Shoyu Yukata is made out of used shoyu filtration cloths in collaboration with master tailors from the town of Hiketa, Japan : Mieko Kusaka, Toyoko Veta and Emiko Kimura.
Yukata, meaning “bathing clothing,” was traditionally worn after bathing in communal baths and functions as a quick way to cover up the body and absorb remaining moisture. It is a casual, summer wear version of the kimono that is usually unlined and made out of cotton or synthetic fiber. The soy filtration cloth is imbedded with memories, aromas and beauty, reflected through the rips and patches that are a result of pressing the fermented raw shoyu paste to separate wheat and soy residue through layers of filtration. By choosing to use this cloth, I am drawing from the history of the town and of the labor of shoyu production. This Yukata is made to my measurements and embodies my experience with this place. Shoyu filtration cloths were repurposed into something beautiful and identifiable to Japanese people. “Shoyu Yukata” is an artifact of Hiketa, encapsulating the spirit and the soul of place.