Glen Kaufman
2016: Boys Day
Spring 2016
Kyoto
Sakura + Spring Greening
I arrived in Japan on the last day of March just as the cherry buds were awakening in Kyoto. Prefect timing. Since retirement in 2008 I have been able to enjoy this Ohanami (flower viewing) experience each spring. The progression of blooms from early to late in the season gives one the opportunity to savor the experience over several weeks. At this same time we witness the greening of the trees. The Japanese maples along the stream near my house and the gingkos, prevalent long major streets, are noteworthy. By mid-May we enjoy blooming azaleas all around the city and wisteria trained on arbors in home or temple gardens. Ryoanji Zen Temple has wisteria with huge trunks that must be hundreds of years old and impressive flowers. For reasons unknown the shrubs and trees in my garden have gone wild this year with growth that will need pruning soon.
Kumamoto Quakes
This disaster has been in the news now for over a month as nearly 1400 quakes continue to disturb the area. (I’m not sure the difference between a quake and an after-shock but these reports continue to make the news.) The first 2 in mid-April were the strongest and resulted in nearly 50 deaths and the destruction or damage of 80,000 homes and buildings including hospitals and schools, that had been designated as evacuation centers. The lives of the survivors who cannot inhabit their homes is stressful despite the efforts of local and federal governments. Recovery will take years and years of repair and rebuilding. It is estimated that repair of the historic Kumamoto Castle, one of the three most famous castles in Japan, may take 20 years. This area is in the southern island of Kyushu far from Kyoto so we are not directly affected. We are often reminded that we are not on or near a fault line here in Kyoto so most friends are cautiously optimistic that we are safe from disaster here.
Kyoto/Osaka Art Scene
There is a seemingly endless offering of exhibitions in museums and galleries in Kyoto and Osaka, which is easily accessed by frequent trains in a bit over an hour. My good friend Kiyoji, now retired from his university and on the invitation list to many openings, allows me to tag along to these events. We have seen exhibitions of contemporary Japanese artists in many media including photography, painting, a wide range of crafts as well as “The Art of Zen”, and simultaneous shows of the work of Monet and Renoir, a real treat. Friends in the world of fiber have also had shows in galleries and a museum here. There have often been multiple events each week since my arrival.
Tsuji Family Boys Day + Wedding
Kiyoji is a grandfather to two boys both born to his eldest daughters last October and this spring offered the opportunity to celebrate Boys Day on May 5th. It is a day to hoist up koinobori (carp streamers), gather family together and enjoy a meal. I was included in this event at the Tsuji home along with the boys, Toji and Shimon, their mothers and the youngest daughter and Kiyoji’s 90-year-old mother who lives alone in Osaka. It was an enjoyable time for all with a delicious lunch and family photo with the two oldest members holding the boys.
Kiyoji’s youngest daughter celebrated her wedding in mid-May with a party for 30+ guests, including this one foreigner plus the two grandsons who were passed around between their parents and grand dad and they behaved admirably during the whole 2+ hours of the event. There are numerous Wedding Party venues in Kyoto and this couple chose a more casual one, Ikariya Wedding. Ikari means anchor in Japanese and there was frequent use of the anchor logo on the invitation and other significant spots. The guests first gathered for refreshments in a ground floor space and proceeded to the banquet room on the 2nd floor for a multi-course meal of mostly Western style food with Japanese touches. Guests were invited to stamp a thumbprint, in green, on a framed image of a Wedding Tree, friends gave a few speeches of congratulations and the happy couple read wedding vows to finalize the ceremony. There was the cutting of the wedding cake, but limited space, so no music or dancing. The official marriage paperwork had been completed months previously but the party was scheduled on May 14, as an auspicious day.
Studio
I really do spend time at home with a busy studio agenda. I’m currently engaged in three directions. I’m continuing my assembly of found objects, in a small-format in ready-to-go 6” x 6” frames from the ¥100 shop that follow up on the work I did for my show here in 2014, L&F. I promise I am only continuing to collect small stuff from the streets and byways of Kyoto. Second, I am working on some small-framed works that will compliment my installation here in Kyoto this fall: “Seeing Red”, the juban (under-kimono) of Japan. These small works use the red silk damask of the juban in combination with fabric collage, beading, stitching, etc. Last, I am working on objects for a next, next show, “Wrapping”, with a wide variety of wood handled Japanese tools, each wrapped with a wide choice of natural fiber threads, strings, twines in a range of natural tones and dyed colors. It’s quick and fun transforming common (and some not so common) hand tools into objects. There are further challenges ahead like mounting these tools-transformed.