Christmas Tree
Waterloo, Ontario, 2017 | Interior
15 years ago, the characters of star and ice were scribed on these large sheets and displayed in an exhibition. At the time, a further 15 years had already elapsed since the paper was first crafted. Large format Washi such as this is the creation of 12 craftsmen working together in large pools, layering the pulp of Mulberry trees to form sheets measuring 2 meters by 2 meters. The artisanal knowledge required for this process has been handed down over many generations. This washi had already matured in the flow of time so that the moment the ink laden brush touched its surface, it readily absorbed the beautiful color, and welcomed the intricate interactions within its fibers.
This year, the piece was remade once again into a contemporary Christmas tree. It has been 30 years since the paper was first created. From the moment that a mulberry seedling sprouted, This paper has travelled through the stream of time, passing through the hands of Japanese craftsmen, calligraphers. The meaning of the ancient characters have taken root in its fibers and grown into elements that have come together to form the different parts of this tree. Paper is never blank. It has a soul, a spirit, and a meaning. It is always inscribed by the silent character of time.
２メートル四方の手漉きの越前和紙は２０年ほど前のエグジビションに展示した古代文字の「星」と「氷」の作品。
その越前和紙は１２人の紙漉の匠達が大きな水槽で漉いた大判の紙で文字を書いたときはもうすでに１５年ほどの年月が経っていた。
時の流れの中で十分熟成した越前和紙はたっぷり墨を含んだ大きな筆を紙面に置いたその瞬間、見事な墨色をエンターティンしてくれた。
その「星」と「氷」をもう一度仕立て直してコンテンポラリーなクリスマスツリーが出来上がった。
時の流れと
匠の技と
古代文字の響きが
ここにしかないクリスマスツリーになった。