Light and kirie art
One of the charms of kirie art is its congeniality with light. When looking at kirie art through light, its outline, which normally stands out, becomes a shadow, the blank part shines and takes over. It is the world where both light and shadows play a central role.
In Wayang Kulit, the traditional theatrical performance with shadow puppets in Bali, you can see beautiful cut patterns on puppets or the background made of leather. The audience can enjoy the patterns on the puppets themselves, as well as the shadows created by them.
In Russia where the winter is long and cold, folded paper cutting art of snow crystals have been favored for a long time. It is said to have been originated in leatherwork with watermark of white birch in the ancient Russia; they put the snow crystals made by paper, which would never melt away, on windows and lamp shades to enjoy them daily.
These unique artworks charm us in a way which nothing else can. I think this is the main reason that kirie art is favored and loved widely and profoundly all over the world.
KIRIE art as dye patterns
Kirie art has a connection with various traditional cultures; in Japan, it is widely known that it was a technique used by artisans for making patterns to dye kimono. The kimono patterns became more and more elaborate as the technique was communicated from South to North; from Bingata, Ise Katagami to Edo Komon. In the Edo period, it was considered that the more elaborate the patterns were, the chicer and more fashionable.
I had an opportunity to participate in bingata workshop once, and learned that the dye work takes a lot of effort and time; many of the patterns are large and unique, and one must put glue on the dye-cut parts of the paper so that the cut-out parts of the textile would not be dyed, and choose colors to put on it.
I cannot even imagine how hard it is to dye Edo Komon. I understood that it takes so much effort to make one kimono, from dye cutting to dyeing, and felt the preciousness of traditional art.
The pattern used for dye cutting is called shibugami (tanned paper), and it has also become valuable in this era when the manufacturing techniques are being lost one by one. As mass production dramatically increases in the present day, it makes us think what we could do to protect these precious traditions.
About KIRIE art
Kirie art is profound and has a deep connection with the traditional technique, while being popular as a modern art. It is delicate yet has a very powerful presence, and shows us a truly magical world.
Handmade? Machine?
I am often asked if “kirie art is handmade”. At Atelier TanTan, original artworks are handmade while using machines to mass produce kirie art for products, decorations and such.
There are 2 types of machines; the cutting machine and the laser machine. The cutting machine enables creating more original products which are close to the handmade products. The laser machine enables cutting out more detailed patterns.
Of course, handmade provides more uniqueness and the taste to the product.
For those who wish to obtain handmade kirie art, for projects where design must be created from the scratch, such as product design and advertisement design, I create handmade kirie art.
