Join former Professor Yoshikuni Yanagi and Associate Professor Setsuko Nitta for an exploration of the intricate methods and history of Okinawan weaving. Okinawa is a Japanese island in the South China Sea that since the fifteenth century has cultivated a unique artistic culture including vibrant textiles that draw from the island’s tropical environment.
Nitta will introduce Okinawan textiles including its history, how the textile tradition is preserved in present day Japan and how Okinawan textiles have ended up in collections across Europe, a result of the intense Battle of Okinawa that took place during World War II. Yanagi will explain the specifics of Okinawan weaving that is based on three main types of kasuri (ikat) and how the technique has travelled beyond the island, to mainland Japan and beyond. He will also present works that he has made using the kasuri weaving technique.
The talk coincides with Yanagi’s research trip to the UK where he is exploring collections at the V&A Museum and the Pitt Rivers in Oxford.
We are grateful to the Farnham Town Council for providing the venue for this event.
Biographies
Setsuko Nitta is an associate professor at the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts. She received her PhD from the same University of Arts in 2017 and has since been researching Okinawan textile collections in Europe.
Yoshikuni Yanagi is a former professor at the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts and is known for his research on Okinawan textiles and their connection to the contexts of Japanese craft practice and heritage.
