History and background of Itchiku Kubota
At the young age of 14, Itchiku Kubota, started work as an apprentice, learning the art and craft of Japanese Kimono at the Kiyoshi Kobayashi studio of the Yuzen dyeing technique. This was his first taste of the Japanese Textile arts that he would soon love and master.
Later on in his life he was drafted into the army during World War II, near the end of the war he was imprisoned by the Russians in Siberia. Itchiku lived through the war and afterwards went on to open a business called Tsujigahana.
He has many achievements to show for throughout his life, one of which he received in 1977-1978 for holding two exhibitions where his work was warmly received. He was given the award for 'Cultural Contribution' by Japan's Cultural Association for Folk Costume. In 1994 he opened up the Itchiku Kubota art-museum at Lake Kawaguchi near Mount Fuji in Japan
Later on in his life he was drafted into the army during World War II, near the end of the war he was imprisoned by the Russians in Siberia. Itchiku lived through the war and afterwards went on to open a business called Tsujigahana.
He has many achievements to show for throughout his life, one of which he received in 1977-1978 for holding two exhibitions where his work was warmly received. He was given the award for 'Cultural Contribution' by Japan's Cultural Association for Folk Costume. In 1994 he opened up the Itchiku Kubota art-museum at Lake Kawaguchi near Mount Fuji in Japan
Inspiration for Itchiku Kubota
"solace in the simple pleasures of nature that are still perceptible in the stark surroundings of a Siberian prison camp: the sun, the sky and the mountains".
Near the end of the war Itchiku Kubota was imprisoned by the Russians in Siberia. Kubota later recounted he found "solace in the simple pleasures of nature that are still perceptible in the stark surroundings of a Siberian prison camp: the sun, the sky and the mountains". These are themes that later resonated and inspired his work. The scenes outside his museum in Mount Fuji also inspire him and will continue to, as the scenes outside the prison camps did.
Design Philosophy of Itchiku Kubota
Each work of art is individually designed to represent a painting of a season, element or setting, but becomes part of a bigger picture of an important landscape when the art is shown together as a group by being placed beside each other.
Itchiku Kubota completes many art pieces which fit under the category of Kimono Art. He uses many techniques to make these pieces stand out and represent the nature which inspires him, these techniques include: embroidering, tie dying and ink painting. All the kimonos and techniques are created on silks. |
Kubota's Design Process
Kubota creates kimono art and designs using the ‘Itchiku Tsujigahana’ technique. Kubota uses chirimen (silk crepe) as a base for his kimonos and uses many different techniques to create the finished products. Some of these techniques consist of embroidering, ink painting, tie dyeing and silk wefts. Most of his masterpieces are long sleeved kimonos.
Kubota starts the process with taking in his natural surroundings and remembering the sights from the war, in the prison camps. He builds on these images and pictures, soon creating something he wants to make a textile art out of.
Through the process known as Shibori, the panels of fabric would be shaped and dyed independently, before being joined together and assembled to form a robe.
Tsujigahana is a complex process of several steps: starting from the initial drawing where the pattern will be stitched onto the white fabric, then tying and dyeing the fabric. The dyeing step has to be perfectly mastered to achieve the desired result – the dyeing will react differently according to the fabric and the colours used. To get a multi-coloured fabric, each tone will have to be applied separately from the others: the result will be a superimposition of one colour layers with or without overlap. The next steps, unthreading, steaming and fixing the colours and textile are followed by the ultimate one, at which the designer will draw in ink some patterns on the white out areas of the fabric.
Kubota starts the process with taking in his natural surroundings and remembering the sights from the war, in the prison camps. He builds on these images and pictures, soon creating something he wants to make a textile art out of.
Through the process known as Shibori, the panels of fabric would be shaped and dyed independently, before being joined together and assembled to form a robe.
Tsujigahana is a complex process of several steps: starting from the initial drawing where the pattern will be stitched onto the white fabric, then tying and dyeing the fabric. The dyeing step has to be perfectly mastered to achieve the desired result – the dyeing will react differently according to the fabric and the colours used. To get a multi-coloured fabric, each tone will have to be applied separately from the others: the result will be a superimposition of one colour layers with or without overlap. The next steps, unthreading, steaming and fixing the colours and textile are followed by the ultimate one, at which the designer will draw in ink some patterns on the white out areas of the fabric.