PUBLIC MARKS with tags stencil & location:japan

On March 16th, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum hosted a fascinating demonstration of the process of a traditional form of Japanese stencil carving  (katagami) and its use in the technique of resist-dyeing textiles (katazome) at the Cooper-Hewitt Design Center in Harlem.

Creation de katagami

Another of the exciting shows I saw while on my recent trip to NYC was a survey of the textile works of Serizawa Keisuke (1895-1984) at Japan Society, a Japanese designer who took his inspiration from the traditional techniques of stencil dyeing. This kimono was stunning in its color harmonies and surprising shapes. There were others just as dramatically beautiful. Some of the most startling designs were on Noren, or entrance curtains, their shapes strong and simple.