- Mino Paper Wedding Gown and Bouquet – by Steve Troletti
Now through October 31, 2011 you can enjoy the “Paper, Beyond Words” Exhibit in the Japanese Garden Pavilion Gallery, in the Montreal Botanical Garden.
Paper plays a tremendous role in Japanese culture, transformed into clothing, dolls, works of art, architectural elements and ritual or everyday objects. Generations of artisans have made washi, the splendid “Japanese paper” that coexists today with yôshi, or “Western paper.” Both types remain much more than a simple medium for writing. In the Pavilion gallery you can admire some “torn paper art,” thanks to a superb collection of pieces by the Edmonton Chigiri-e Club. Leave a trace of your visit by helping to create a collective work of art.
As you walk into the exhibit you can see a tall manikin wearing a Wedding Gown and holding a colorful bouquet of flowers. You quickly realize this is no ordinary dress. The entire
Gown and flowers are artfully built from Mino paper (minowashi). As you admire the display your curiosity draws you to a placard describing this incredible work of art …
***
New Horizons
Keiko Ichihara is a businesswoman committed to preserving traditional Japanese paper by developing innovative uses for it. She developed a natural agent that can be used to make washi more sturdy and water resistant, while maintaining its unique texture. She then turns it into garments, like this superb wedding gown made out of Mino paper (minowashi)
***
VISIT THE PHOTO GALLERY: https://photos.tempusaura.com/art-exhibits