RESIST TECHNIQUES IN JAPANESE KIMONO PAINTING

Perhaps it is a way of seeing my own textile work in context, or a result of the age and culture I live in, but I find myself increasingly interested in traditional textile techniques, particularly resist methods of patterning cloth. As western culture spreads across the world, sweeping away ancient cultures and their arts, we stand on the brink of losing many extraordinary textile skills forever.

Japan has an ancient history of resist dyeing which has been pr served and developed over the centuries and clings by a thread to the fabric of modern life. As a visitor in Japan, one is constantly aware that it is a culture with a highly developed aesthetic sense and a deep regard for tradition, but at the same time it is a culture which has thoroughly embraced consumerism and technology. One wonders how the traditional textile arts, which place quality of workman-ship above production costs, can survive in the 21st century. There is hope, however, for there is a growing appreciation of the worth of traditional crafts and a resurgence of interest in learning and preserving them before it is too late.

Note: This is an extract from an article by Mandy Southan published in the Summer 2008 issue of The Journal. To receive your own copy of the Journal four times a year and enjoy reading articles like these, click on the Membership link to join the Guild of Silk Painters.