Spirited Away is one of my all time favourite films; I've recently watched it again with a child who'd never seen it before. He was transfixed by this fantastic world of monsters, pigs, spirits and dragons, it was such fun to revisit this film.
Hayao Miyazaki also made My Neighbor Totoro which I am also very fond of, so much so that I named my dog Totoro!

image via here

I came across Adam Sorensen's work today; really enjoying his use of colour in these paintings.
They recall traditional Japanese woodblock prints in such a contemporary way. They're quite dark and epic but almost cartoonish too.

images from here via lost at e minor

Happy New Year!

Last week saw the beginning of the Chinese New Year. It is year of the Dragon which is considered the luckiest in the Chinese Zodiac. The legendary creature is so auspicious; it is a potent symbol of power, and strength.

In Japanese folklore too, Dragons feature extensively.
Luminous Pearl Princess is my favourite Dragon Goddess from ancient Japanese mythology. She was the daughter of Ryūjin, the Dragon ruler of the seas. He lived in an underwater sea palace and had magical jewels which controlled the ebb and flow of the tides. These stories are incredibly rich and intricate...below is Princess Tamatori stealing Ryūjin's tide jewels, (by Utagawa Kuniyoshi) image from here.

Japanese Paper Dolls by Futami Isogawa; now in store 

Exclusive to Yoshi Jones!
Come in to the Newtown store to see Futami Isogawa's beautiful Japanese Dolls.
These exquisite sculptures are available to purchase from $50-150 

Japanese paper, or washi, is perhaps most famous for its use in origami, a traditional Japanese art of paperfolding. The Japanese paper dolls on display in this exhibition are hand crafted using authentic 'chirimen' paper. Chirimen paper is preshrunk and hand made with a luxurious feel.

The dolls are imbued with a sense of movement and natural feminine grace, and each pattern carries a unique meaning. They would make a striking addition to a sophisticated interior space, and are ideal gifts for friends and family.

I immediately responded to the work of Amy Jones (no relation!) when I went along to her exhibition at Chrissie Cotter Gallery in Camperdown.

Amy used fabric from my Vintage Kimono collection to construct beautiful artwork; when I saw it I knew that her work would look so fantastic in the Newtown store.

It is excellent timing to display her work as Spring is traditonally an important time in Japan to celebrate new beginnings, it's when the cherry blossom trees come into bloom for a fleeting week; the hanami season. The store is buzzing with new season energy and we are very excited about the new stock which is arriving every week!

I am so pleased to feature Amy's work as she is a Newtown based artist whose paintings and craft based works are influenced by the Japanese landscape. Jones has particularly responded to the deliberate manner of planting, and the sculptural nature of Japanese garden design, seeing an echo of the artistic process – selection and discernment of colour, composition and form.

Jones’ Installation “there are no birdies in my garden”, is a response to inner city life – attempting to recreate part of the whimsical beauty of a garden, whilst surrounded by a concrete jungle.

The sculptures are available to purchase for $19-45 in our Newtown store.

Jones currently teaches painting and drawing classes privately, and at the Hazelhurst Gallery in Gymea.

Powerful work!
A collection of heart beats, from all over the world.
Like fingerprints; heart beats are unique. Captured, the human memory seems to live on... 

I have been reading about "Les Archives du Cœur"- The Heart Archive; work by French artist Christian Boltanski currently showing at the Teshima Art Museum. I wish I'd had the time to go and check it out myself when I was recently in Japan.

Boltanski collects recordings of human heartbeats, the installation is then kept at this site permanently, on the uninhabited island of Teshima. Visitors are invited to donate a recording of their own heartbeat in a little booth join the archive with the 15,000 others.

“I am interested in what I call ‘little memory’, an emotional memory, an everyday knowledge, the contrary of the Memory with a capital M that is preserved in history books”, Boltanski says. “This little memory, which for me is what makes us unique, is extremely fragile" says Boltanski (via Serpentine Gallery)

Teshima Art Museum is shaped like a drop of water, a floating droplet on an island.

"...two oval openings allow the air, sounds, and light of the world outside into this organic space where nature and architecture seem intimately interconnected. Inside one finds an ever-flowing fountains and an ambiance that changes from hour to hour and season to season, revealing countless appearances as time passes."

More information about the exhibition available on the Naoshima Fukutake Art Museum website; Benesse Art Site

Vendome Aoyama has released a range of jewelery designed by Kengo Kuma; very simple, beautiful pieces which seem to be inspired by his architectural work. The Oribe range is my favourite.

I've recently discovered a connection between two Japanese artists who I admire;
Tadao Ando the architect and Issey Miyake, my favourite fashion designer.

Miyake is one of the directors of 21_21 Design Sight ; a kind of museum, gallery and research space for design in Tokyo.
Ando was the architect given the awesome brief of "a structure which would represent Japan".

Regarding the design process for the building, Ando explains
"...it was said that, "If there were one nation in the world whose demise would have serious consequences it would be the Japanese." I interpret this statement to mean that we mustn't allow the characteristic Japanese aesthetic to die out. Aesthetics also include things like a sense of responsibility and a sense of justice. They also incorporate a respect for other people and for nature, an appreciation of the gift of life, and courtesy. They even extend to the ability to look at the world around one, properly."
via 21_21 Design Sight



21_21 Design Sight building; the roof is one sheet of folded steel which echoes the single piece of fabric  that Miyake uses to make his garments. So elegant! 

The current exhibition is on til Sunday 31: THE SPIRIT OF TOHOKU: "CLOTHING" BY ISSEY MIYAKE






Pleats Please by Issey Miyake via FIDM

His garments in the Pleats Please range are pleated after being cut and sewn so as to retain their knife pleats to perfection. Miyake is a true innovator of design!

Ando is perhaps best known for his Church of the Light, a small Church in Ibaraki, Osaka Japan. Slits in the concrete reveal a cross shape when the sunlight peaks through. The incredible concrete walls are 15 inches thick, and yet the space is equally defined by the light as the solidness of its structure. 
Simple yet sublime.



photo by Sanghyun Lee via http://www.andotadao.org/

take a look at the website for more info re 21_21 Design Sight
http://www.2121designsight.jp/en/