PORTFOLIO

The Japanese pattern Amime stems from fishing nets. It came into prominence in the Edo period and symbolizes success - in fishing and more largely in life - the idea of catching something desired in one fell swoop. I first fell in love with it on the wrapping of a package while shopping in Japan many years ago. I soon realized it was common on numerous Japanese items, from traditional kimonos to dish ware, hand towels to origami paper. Its simplicity and beauty instantly makes me think of Japan. When thinking of my own connection and love of Ruth Asawa’s work, the pattern reminded me of how her wire sculptures were built and interconnected. I thought it would be interesting to explore Amime in 2 ways - with a nod to the color indigo. Indigo was first brought to Japan in the 5th or 6th century and originally was reserved for the wealthy and Samurai class - particularly because Indigo had anti-bacterial qualities and repelled insects. By the 17th century thousands of indigo vats spotted the country and the color became synonymous with Japan. Indigo is loved for its ability to be many shades of blue [as I allude to in the ombre nature of both works] and of course it also references the water - harmonious for a fishing net.

The larger 2 installation works play with a sense of scale - something magical happens when we physically have to relate to something that has shifted in size from our normal perception of it. The materiality and tactility of them are also of importance.

I have been making large french knots in a tribute to Senninbari - belts that women made to protect men’s hara [a spiritual source that resides in one’s gut] - that contained 1000 french knots. Ideally the belts were made with each knot stitched by a different woman [people often gathered in gymnasiums or were recruited outside train stations], generating a collective luck that I find inherently fascinating. I like the idea that collective luck and success may be reliant on one another. These installations also require multiple hands in their making and hanging - thanks to those who help me cut, glue the hardware in and drill the holes/hammer the nails. I thought it would be visually pleasing to present these two takes on Amime living in the same space - mimicking one another in size, color, material origin, and yet also quite different in their appearance and execution. While they form the recognizable fishing net pattern, upon closer inspection it’s very clear that there is a hand involved in them. Each knot tied by me, slight imperfections and differences that can only happen in a handmade item. These pieces represent an accumulation of labor in a nod to tradition as well the idea that labor itself offers solace, moments of resistance, and is often something we overlook, but it incredibly important. The Amime pattern is also open enough to allow for other visual interpretations - like chain link fences - that can generate metaphors that relate to our current times.

I also generated a series of Koi fish watercolors - an installation for what lives under the nets. Koi fish are associated with strength of character, resilience, perseverance and courage. They are pinned and floating from the wall to mimic how they swim in the wild.

Another installation involved dip dyed small amime nets. In a rainbow of colors and arranged organically – a series of smaller things to create a larger whole.

One of the things you learn when researching the amime pattern is how ubiquitous it is on dinnerware and other items in Japanese culture. In an effort to truly see and think about these items I purchased sets of dishware – chopstick holders, bowls, cups, all with the pattern on them. I then recreated the pieces with air dry clay (often in a small scale because of my adoration of miniatures) and painted them to match the originals – thinking about the artisans that do this on a day to day basis. I also did a drawing of the item, sometimes incorporating the pattern both in and without the object as well as embroidery. The original item, plus my creation plus the drawing live together in a set – with a gentle nod to Kosuth’s 3 chairs.

Finally I made a series of gelli prints of an amime net. Placing different widths of rope in the pattern on the plate and pulling both a positive and negative print – the prints are in a rainbow array of colors and set up a grid – once again smaller pieces generating a larger whole.