Kogei Artist Vol.2

Dye Artist

Yoko Kamitani

When you move past my artwork, the images gently shift, changing the artistic expression. I like that.

Every day when I work, I have the desire to make artwork that fluctuates in its expression.

When I am preparing to make something and before I consider what I want to actually dye, I start by looking within myself to discover what I am thinking, what I am feeling.

Yoko Kamitani
Yoko Kamitani
Yoko Kamitani

Indigo is a unique dye. It’s made by extracting lye from wood ash and using the lye in the process to ferment the indigo raw material called Sukumo. Indigo behaves like a living thing. You have to judge the condition of the indigo every time you use it.

And you can change the number of times you dye something to control the intensity of the color. So every time I dye something, I ask the indigo to make a beautiful color for me.

Yoko Kamitani
Yoko Kamitani

When I tie dye, even if make a large preliminary drawing, everything is reduced in apparent scale as I tie off and squeeze each part, which hides the overall image. That is why it is so important for me to have a concrete image of the design firmly visualized in my mind.

Yoko Kamitani

Dye Artist

Yoko Kamitani

At her Out of the Blue exhibition in Lyon, France, Yoko Kamitani created indigo blue artwork that divided two rooms. The two-layer indigo blue linen cloth responded to the flow of air in the gallery to create a range of expressions. The show was highly praised by related parties in Lyon. She was accepted into the Nitten Exhibition from 2019 through 2022.

Yoko Kamitani
1976
Graduated from Saga University of Arts majoring in dyeing and weaving
1990
Studied under Shibori (Japanese tie dye) artist Yoshihide Hayakawa
1991
Joined Shibori Community (exhibited with Community through 2010)
1992
Accepted into Heritage Exhibition at International Shibori Conference
1995
Accepted into Kyoto Exhibition
1997
Solo exhibition at Gallery Senzu, Kyoto; solo and group exhibitions thereafter in various locations
2004
Participated in "Out of the Blue" Exhibition (Melbourne, Australia)
2007
Accepted into Japan New Crafts Exhibition, Received Japan New Crafts Exhibition Award (accepted into Exhibition in all following years), Received Second Award for Excellence at All Kansai Art Exhibition, Accepted into Nitten Exhibition
2008
Participated in "Out of the Blue" Exhibition (Lyon, France)
2010
Accepted into All Kansai Art Exhibition, Japan
2011
Received Japan New Crafts Exhibition Award at Japan New Crafts Exhibition
2014
Received Affiliate Member's Award at Japan New Crafts Exhibition
2016
Received Member's Award at Japan New Crafts Exhibition
2018
Received Ueno Mori Art Museum Award at Japan New Crafts Exhibition
2019
Accepted into Nitten Exhibition
2021
Accepted into Nitten Exhibition
2022
Accepted into Nitten Exhibition
Currently member of Japan New Craft Artists Federation, Kyoto Kogei Association, and Shiga Craft Art Association
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