WORLD SHIBORI SYMPOSIUM
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Last November I attended the International Shibori Symposium in Harrogate and felt so excited by what I had seen and learned that I wanted to share it with you. This was the first symposium to be held in Europe, the others being in Japan, India and Chile. Shibori artists and textile experts from all over the world came together to demonstrate, give talks and slide shows and to share ideas and information. The symposium and wonderful exhibition of work was organised and curated by Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada, a shibori artist and author of two superb books (see below). Yoshiko has been teaching shibori around the world for 30 years and helped to establish the shibori network. fig:1 For those of you who are not familiar with the term 'shibori' it is basically a shaped-resist dyeing technique in which cloth is in some way tied, clamped, stitched, folded and held back during dyeing. It is used not only to create patterns on cloth but also turn fabric from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional object. The term shibori covers an entire group of shaped-resist textiles and numerous resist processes practised throughout the world. In Indonesia it is called 'Plangi' and in India it is called 'Bandhani' fig:2 It ranges from the bold and colourful tie-dyed cloths of Africa to the exquisite tied silks of India and the highly sophisticated shaped-resist textiles of Japan which are often used in kimonos. The symposium celebrated not only the traditional but also the contemporary approaches to shibori. Some very exciting work is being produced by textile artists, many of whom demonstrated and lectured over the two days. fig:3 Attending the symposium affirmed for me the importance of international contact and the need for a wider perspective for amateur and professional textile artists. I met many wonderful people - inspiring; generous with their knowledge; unpretentious. They are working in Norway, USA, Australia, Japan, India, France in fact, all over the world, yet each has in common, a love of their subject, boundless enthusiasm and a belief that what they are doing is worthwhile. fig:4 Much of the shibori work we have seen in this country to date has been a very simplified and watered-down version of the real thing. We, as silk painters, are probably deeply engaged in the element of colour. Shibori gives us another element to explore, that of texture. It can transform a flat fabric into three-dimensional form and it echoes the patterns of nature - the effects of wind on water or sand; tree bark; animal markings; butterfly wings - so much that is familiar and amazing and profoundly satisfying to the artist's eye. I returned from the symposium excited and inspired, knowing which way my own work is going in 2003. Mandy Southan - President fig:5 Fig. 1 'Breeze' by Yukiko Echigo from Kyoto, Japan. Fig. 2 'Japanese Larch' by Jane Callender Fig. 3 shows Yukiko Echigo lecturing on shibori. Fig. 4 Artist unknown Fig. 5 Silk Bandhani from India Fig. 6 Yoshiko Wada PHOTOGRAPHS by MANDY SOUTHAN ALL PICTURES ARE COPYRIGHT THE ARTIST fig:6
BOOKS by Yoshiko Wada
SHIBORI - THE INVENTIVE ART OF JAPANESE SHAPED-RESIST DYEING by Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada Published by: KODANSHA ISBN: 4 7700 2399 5
MEMORY ON CLOTH - SHIBORI NOW by Yoshiko Iwamoto Wada Published by: KODANSHA ISBN: 4 7700 2777 X