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Tapestry in Architecture: Creating Human Spaces
March 12, 2009 through June 5, 2009
American Institute of Architects Headquarters Gallery, located directly behind The Octagon
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Organized in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the National Association of Japan-American Societies (NAJAS), Tapestry in Architecture: Creating Human Spaces is the first U.S. exhibition of the work of Japanese textile artist Mitsuko Asakura. Featuring intricately woven, intensely colorful works specifically designed to complement architectural interiors, the exhibition showcases eight tapestries along with a series of photographs depicting Ms Asakura’s work in architectural interiors. Presented at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Headquarters Gallery by the Octagon, the museum of the American Architectural Foundation (AAF), Tapestry in Architecture ends its tour in Washington, DC after premiering at the Japan Society in New York City (July 10 – August 14, 2008), and traveling to Harvard University’s Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (September 15 – November 14, 2008) and the Morikami Museum and Gardens, in Delray Beach, Florida (December 16, 2008 – February 22, 2009).
Tapestry in Architecture features works that were specifically commissioned for architectural spaces, for example, Pfizer Global Research and Development’s laboratories in Nagoya. Because the works are integral components of these buildings, rather than remove them for the exhibition, Asakura has painstakingly created exact copies to travel in the exhibition. The textiles dramatic enhancement of these architectural spaces, ranging from a cutting-edge lab to a shrine in Tokyo, is documented in the exhibition by large-format photographs that show some of these works in situ. The exhibition is accompanied by a 60-page catalog featuring an essay by Akira Tatehata, the director of the National Museum of Art in Osaka.
The daughter of an artist and dyer, Mitsuko Asakura was born and raised in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. As she helped her father in his dyeing workshop, surrounded by the traditional craft artists of Kyoto, Asakura developed a passion for weaving. Deeply immersed in the traditional textile culture of Japan, she created her own original style of textile art by mixing traditional fiber dyeing with experimental shapes. Asakura’s tapestries are notable for their sensitive use of color and unusual forms. All of her dyes are handmade, often featuring a combination of natural ingredients sourced in the nature surrounding Kyoto and cutting-edge chemical substances. These dyes create vibrant and subtle colors that distinguish her work. Another distinctive aspect of her work is found in her series of textiles entitled Oritatamu, which she first started creating in the 1970s. Oritatamu is a play on Japanese words that translates to “weaving and/or folding.” Unlike her contemporaries who were also exploring three-dimensional textile forms that were freestanding, Asakura has always created her “folded” work to be hung on a surface like a tapestry.
Along with her many commissions, Asakura’s work has been featured in numerous exhibition both solo and group, primarily in Japan.
The National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization that offers educational, cultural and business programs about Japan and U.S.-Japan relations to the general public through its member Japan and Japan-America Societies. NAJAS is the only national non-profit network in the United State dedicated to public education about Japan. It consists of approximately 40 independent Japan-related organizations located in 32 cities around the country.
The gallery hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Admission is free.
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