Textilien aus Nord- und Süd-Japan - Dokumentarfilme zum japanischen Kunsthandwerk

In the organizer's words:

Echigo-jôfu
越後上布 Echigo jôfu

Director: TOKIEDA Toshie
1980/81, 43 minutes, English, DVD

When winter sets in in the historic province of Echigo in north-central Japan, the production of the high-quality linen fabric Echigo jôfu begins. Processing the ramie plant into textile fibers requires great patience and concentration.

Bashôfu, The Textile Art of Taira Toshiko
芭蕉布-平良敏子のわざ- Bashôfu - Taira Toshiko no waza -

Director: JANAMOTO Keifuku
2014, 31 minutes, English & Japanese, DVD

Bashôfu is a fabric from Okinawa in southern Japan that is intricately woven by hand from the fibers of a banana tree. The documentary introduces the "Living National Treasure" Taira Toshiki, who preserves and continues the old techniques.

Functionality and beauty

Documentaries on Japanese arts and crafts

Japanese handicrafts are unique and are valued internationally for their functionality, perfection and beauty. Its production methods are characterized by high precision and craftsmanship, which have often been developed over centuries and passed on to subsequent generations.

Accompanying the exhibition "Japanese Happiness", 20 documentaries will be shown that were created between 1971 and 2019 and provide an insight into various areas of Japanese arts and crafts. On the one hand, they are dedicated to various materials such as paper, bamboo, wood, lacquer, metal and textiles, and on the other, they present decorative techniques such as maki-e, yûzen and local characteristics.

What is particularly impressive is that the individual areas are presented using the example of outstanding personalities who have rendered outstanding services to the arts and crafts. These masters, including two women, were honored by the Japanese state with the designation "Living National Treasure" (Ningen kokuhô) for their outstanding ability to continue and preserve a traditional craft. This vividly illustrates the technical and creative skills required and the great effort needed to achieve a satisfactory result.

Price information:

Admission free