Featuring more than 30 sculptures, installations, and other works created by contemporary Japanese artists For more than one thousand years, Japan has produced some of the world’s finest paper. Japanese paper makers still use the skills passed down through generations to create handmade paper, known as “washi.” It is used in painting, calligraphy, origami, and other traditional art forms.
Japanese Paper Art
Japanese contemporary artists are now using washi as the basis for their artwork. They take this supple yet sturdy natural fiber and layer, weave, dye, twist, fold, and cut it to create highly textured hanging works.
Opening, Saturday, Jan. 29, the newest exhibit at the Longmont Museum brings this ancient yet innovative art form to Longmont. “Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper” show cases more than 30 expressive sculptures, dramatic installations, and two-dimensional works.
“Washi Transformed” spotlights the works of nine contemporary Japanese artists: Hina Aoyama, Eriko Horiki, Kyoko Ibe, Yoshio Ikezaki, Kakuko Ishii, Yuko Kimura, Yuko Nishimura, akaaki Tanaka, and Ayomi Yoshida. All these artists use washi to create works that are unusual in size, unexpected in texture, and do not fit typical expectations of paper art.Japanese art and
culture set the stage for the Longmont Museum’s programming this season. Explore upcoming films, concerts, classes, and talks inspired by “Washi Transformed” at longmontmusuem.org.
The exhibition runs Jan. 29 through May15, 2022. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students, eniors, and veterans. Longmont Museum members and children age 3 and under are free. Gallery admission for visitors with an EBT or SNAP card is only $0.25, and the second Saturday of each month is free.
The opening reception scheduled for Friday, January 28 has been postponed for the community’s safety. Information about a rescheduled event will be available at longmontmusuem.org or by signing up for the Museum’s e-newsletter.