上田恭子 作家活動とについて
'Ｌａｙｅｒｓ ｏｆ Ｌｉｆｅ'
作家活動35年余り、大学卒業後入った西陣で数年本つづれ織り技術を身につけたものの、作品制作にその技術を使うことはなかった。制約が多く、織り機にかかっている経糸も帯幅のもので、絵と同じものを織る平担な布が、私の制作意欲につながらなかったことも理由のひとつだ。 というもののしばしば織物のインスタレーションの発表はしている。ひたすらプレーンに織り、バイヤスにつまみ、ミシンワークで布の力を引き出す造形作品を制作してきた。ひたすらプレーンに織ることは私にとっては無地の帯を織る感覚に近い。
かたや紗張り用の絹紗を使い、色の美しさ、風合いの面白さからタペストリーからクラフト作品のウェアまで長く制作してきた。しかしその絹紗も手に入りにくくなり、よく似た絹紗を使うことも多くなりつつあった。
２０２１年、初めて本つづれ織りの技術を使い、神戸で個展をした。どう見せるかで悩んだものの、本つづれへの私のわだかまりが軽くなったように思う。
UEDA Kyoko About artist activity
’Layers of Life’
Ⅰhas been active as an artist for over 35 years,but although I spent several years learning the techniques of Traditional tuzure weaving(tapestry technique) after graduating from university, I never techniques in my work.
One of the reasons was that there were restrictions,the worp threads on the room were the width of obi,and the idea of wearing a flat piece of cloth that was identical to the painting did not dispire me to create.
However,I ofen presents textile installations I was the fabric plainly,pinches it on the bias,and uses machine sewing to bring out the power of the fabric. I have been producing works since then,for me,weaving simply is similar to is waeaving an Obi.
On the otherhand,silk gauze for attaching a gause to a stencil has been used to create everything from tapestries to craft wear for long time,
using to its beautiful colors and interesting texture. But it was becoming harder to get hold of,and I started using stock of similar silk gauze more often.
In 2021 I held my first solo exhibition in Kobe useing the techniques of Traditional Tuzure weaving.
Aithough I straggled with now to present the work, I feel that my reservations about Traditional Tuzure weaving have been alleviated.
Kyoko Ueda:
About my artistic activities and materials kinusya (silk gauze)
'Ｌａｙｅｒｓ ｏｆ Ｌｉｆｅ'
The material mainly used for my works is silk, which is usually used for paper patterns for traditional stencil dyeing. I dye my work, centered on sewing machine methods, using plant dyes, chemical dyes, and red iron oxide, to convey expressions by using a method that layers various materials.
In recent times, tetoron gauze is becoming to replace silk gauze. Due to the material's ease of handling, materials for paper patterns have transitioned from shibugami, paper treated with persimmon tannin, to synthetic paper, and the demand for silk gauze for the shibugami has fallen. In addition, the production of silk gauze has stopped due to various issues including the lack of successors to carry on the silk weaving traditions.
It has been around 20 years since I started to use this silk gauze as material for my works. I first used it as material for items you wear, but I started to use the material for artwork starting in 2003.
Why am I so particular about this fabric?
First is the transparency of the fabric. It is easy to dye and produces clear colors. When it is layered, the colors and lines overlap creating a mysterious airy feel. The light overlaps. the air swells, and the softness and warmth of the silk envelopes the body.
However, this fabric is usually used as a tool for silk gauze. It is unstable and too fragile to use as a weaving yarn. Its fragility is that the thread bunches together, it is rough, and it is weak. While I was creating the work, and as something that is worn, this causes problems regarding its strength during use. However, what can be regarded as a drawback was something that appealed to me and inspired and motivated my creative works.
My expressions that are created by layering fabrics in various ways are methods to overcome this fragility. In addition, these expressions that were created in one go, just like watercolors and drawings, by layering stitches and dyed silk as if they were paint, is extremely thrilling. What's more, my expressions created through multiple layers of thin fabrics create a profoundness that causes one to fixate on the fabric. It can be said that these are the traces of the days that have been layered over each other.
