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Support the 30th Special Exhibition of Artworks made from Echizen Washi

 

Imadate is a traditional papermaking village located in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture. Craftspeople here have been making paper for over one thousand years. From 1979 to 2007, special exhibitions were held in which artists gathered and made artworks from local paper. One such artist who supported this project in its original years was Lee Ufan, a contemporary artist who created a museum on Naoshima (an island in the Seto Sea).

 

Last year, in 2016, the village started this type of exhibition once again. However, artists made a few changes. First of all, in past exhibitions, washi artworks were displayed in a single contemporary art space. Now, artists show their pieces in a variety of spaces located in Imadate – specifically, in the Ootaki papermaking area (where Japanese Living National Treasure papermaker Ichibei Iwano lives and works). This year, artists will expand to show in other townships within the Imadate area.

 

(photo1: Photo of this year’s exhibition, this artist is Nicholas Cladis)

 

During last year’s exhibition, the 29th year of such exhibitions, artists successfully displayed their work around the village and provided maps to visitors. Using these maps, visitors toured the traditional washi village and could see each artist’s work in a unique setting. We thus aim to provide an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the washi village while viewing fine art made from local materials.

 

The 30th exhibition will be held in May 2018 (Golden Week), coinciding with the 1,300th anniversary of Ootaki-Okamoto Shrine, the shrine devoted to the paper goddess. To commemorate this event, Imadate Art Field and the paper village are offering prints and paintings on handmade paper to supporters. These art pieces are unique to this event, and are thus limited editions.

 

 

The founder of this series of exhibitions, contemporary artist Isamu KAWAI, unfortunately passed away January 27,1980. To remember him, the paper village will hold an exhibition from September 30 to November 5, 2017 at the Echizen Washi Association Center. This exhibition will feature photographs taken by Mr. KAWAI throughout his life. Mr. KAWAI traveled around the world and took fine art photos manually. The Echizen Washi Association is thus printing limited editions of his photographs, using his original negatives, on handmade Japanese paper.

 

(photo2: Photo of Mr.Isamu Kawai)

 

In addition to this exhibition, the paper village is asking for support from people in Fukui, Japan, and elsewhere around the world. If you are interested in Japanese paper and/or art, and want to support the paper village in Fukui, please consider backing this project. If you back it, you will get original artwork in return (please see the “rewards” section).

(photo3: Executive Committee members of IMADATE ART FIELD)

The 30th anniversary exhibition will be held in May 2018 (Golden Week), coinciding with the 1,300th anniversary of Ootaki-Okamoto Shrine, the shrine devoted to the paper goddess. To commemorate this event, IMADATE ART FIELD and the paper village are offering prints and paintings on handmade paper to supporters. These art pieces are unique to this event, and are thus limited editions.

 

(photo4: Photo of the paper shrine:OKAMOTO-Jinja, OOTAKI-jinja)

 

(photo5: Echizen Washi suitable for inkjet printing)

 

(photo6: Mr.Masahiro NISHINO, Washi craftsman) 

Echizen Washi Association Center

In addition to this exhibition, the paper village is asking for support from people in Fukui, Japan, and elsewhere around the world. If you are interested in Japanese paper and/or art, and want to support the paper village in Fukui, please consider backing this project. If you back it, you will get original artwork in return (please see the “rewards” section).


(photo7: An example of Mr.Yoriyasu MASUDA's artwork) 

 

¥５,000: You will get an invitation card and letter from comitte IMADATE ART FIELD.

https://readyfor.jp/projects/IMADATEARTFIELD1300/contribution?select_id=57798

 

¥10,000: You will get an inkjet print of an artwork made by Yoriyasu-MASUDA.

This artwork will be printed on handmade Japanese paper made by Living National Treasure Ichibei Iwano. Prints are limited edition, special to this project.

https://readyfor.jp/projects/IMADATEARTFIELD1300/contribution?select_id=56464

 

¥30,000: You will receive a woodcut print by Yoriyasu MASUDA. This woodcut print will be printed on handmade paper at Heizaburo Studio, one of the finest fusuma paper (Japanese sliding door) manufacturers in Japan. You will also receive the print mentioned in the ¥10,000-tier reward (the inkjet print on Ichibei Iwano’s handmade paper)!

https://readyfor.jp/projects/IMADATEARTFIELD1300/contribution?select_id=55968

 

¥50,000: You will receive an original painting by Yoriyasu MASUDA, painted on paper made by Living National Treasure Ichibei Iwano. This painting will come framed. You will also receive the print mentioned in the ¥10,000-tier reward (the inkjet print on Ichibei Iwano’s handmade paper)!

https://readyfor.jp/projects/IMADATEARTFIELD1300/contribution?select_id=56463

 

¥100,000:sold out