Takeshi Kitamura

Takeshi Kitamura, a master of the traditional Nishijin textile technique, started his career weaving in the Nishijin district of Kyoto in 1951. He left the workshop five years later intending to learn various techniques from different workshops. He frequented textile artists and continuously strove to improve his technical skills and develop his personal style. One day Takeshi Kitamura visited an exhibition featuring photographic reproductions of ancient fabrics excavated in China. This awoke a keen interest in ancient ra fabrics. He dedicated years to reproducing the fabric, finally managing to recreate it and others along the way. He has not only dedicated himself to the recreation of ancient techniques but also to expanding the possibilities of present-day weaving. In 1995, he was designated Japanese National Living Treasure for ra textile, and in 2000 - for tate-nishiki weaving.

There are three principal types of silk gauze in Japan: ra, sha, and ro. This fabric is handwoven from a complicated intertwining of warp threads. Ra thread is woven so finely that it practically looks transparent. This material is thought to be worn in summer by Japanese nobles as far back as the 8th century. The weft is arranged in pairs and crossed before and after each warp yarn. By doing so, the weaver adds structure and strength to this fabric using fine yarns that have been loosely spread out.

Having revived the ancient ra and tate-nishiki weaving techniques, Kitamura has succeeded in using them in his works with intricate details. The ra and tate-nishiki textiles, with their semi-transparent knit-like qualities, originated in China around 500-400 B.C. The former is characterised by its delicate mesh while the latter uses warp yarns to depict the patterns. Tatenishiki can be compared to what is referred to in Europe as Brocade, in which the patterns are woven by warp.

The Ateliers of Wonders Exhibition

12 Stone Garden Exhibition