ACF 894: Works of quilt master KIM Haeja will be on exhibit at The Korea Society

10,000 Threads
The collected works of KIM Haeja
The Korea Society

950 Third Avenue at 57th Street, NYC

(Entrance on 57th Street, south-west corner of the intersection)

February 22 - March 31, 2011

Traditional Korean quilting, with its unique “nubi” line-stitching, is elevated to a high art under the masterful hands of award-winning artisan Haeja Kim. A designated holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property award by the Korean government for her efforts at preserving Korea’s artistic heritage, Kim meticulously line-stitches layers of batting and fabric into fine garments and coverings. The tiny stitches are employed over each article in a deceptively simple pattern, with smaller stitching highly valued and the mark of a true expert.

Gallery Reception
Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 6-8 PM

RSVP here.

Nubi textiles are thought to have originated among Buddhist monks, who valued its strength, simplicity, and insulation against Korea’s frigid winters. Lay people employed it for traditional dress and soldiers for defense against the cold and added physical protection. However, the hand-craft of nubi largely disappeared in modern times with the introduction of the sewing machine.

Master Kim has been breathing new life into the art ever since she surprised visitors to the Korea Annual Traditional Art Exhibition two decades ago with 3mm-5mm nubi stitchwork—a feat, not seen for a century, that won the Prime Minister’s Award. Today, she is much sought after as a teacher and master of the form. In her humble and elegant rural studio, surrounded by attentive student apprentices, she displays a unique dedication to craft, hand-processing her fabrics with natural dyes like indigo, safflower, and charcoal. Her work has been exhibited in Korea, Japan, China, and France. This exhibition at The Korea Society represents Kim’s first major U.S. showing.

The items selected for this special showing will be grouped in three parts:
Feb 22 - March 4 Children's Clothing
March 7-18 Adult Clothing
March 21-31 Children's Ceremonial Clothing

ACF 434: Serizawa textiles on exhibit at Japan Society through January 17, 2010

Serizawa: Master of Japanese Textile Design
Japan Society Gallery
Through January 17, 2010

Obi (Sash) Length, Scenes in Okinawa, stencil-dyed crepe silk

Last Friday my wife Francesca, who weaves and knits, and I, who do neither, took in this exhibit at Japan Society. Both of us marveled at the creations of Serizawa Keisuke (1895-1984). They made it readily apparent why he was deemed a "Living National Treasure" during his lifetime.

Noren (Entrance Curtain), Knots in the form of
the Chinese character Kotobuki (long life), stencil-dyed cotton

Serizawa was a master of stencil-dying. His works of art, based on craft techniques, covered a broad range of media, such as screens, kimonos, book covers, magazine designs, and entrance curtains. He also utilized a wide variety of materials: cotton, silk, hemp, and other fibers, all decorated with beautiful natural dyes.

Chinese character hana (flower), stencil-dyed tsumugi-weave silk

The above images are from scans I made of the three postcards that are on sale. A fully illustrated catalog can be ordered online or purchased at Japan Society.

But Serizawa's creations deserve to be seen and appreciated in person, if at all possible.

For further information and gallery hours, click here.

ACF 245: Pojagi: Cloth, Color and Beyond

The Korea Society will present a panel discussion on the art and history of Korean wrapping cloths on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 6:30 PM. Linking pojagi aesthetics to both traditional American quilts and contemporary abstract painting, panelists Lee Talbot, assistant curator of The Textile Museum, Chunghie Lee, a fiber artist, and Seta Wehbé, assistant collection manager of the Antonio Ratti Textile Center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will discuss the enduring appeal of pojagi and what they reveal about the life and times of their creators.

Buy tickets online or RSVP to Heewon Kim at 212.759.7525, ext 355.

The panel discussion will take place at The Korea Society, 950 Third Ave (entrance on 57th Street), 8th Floor.