Graduate Exhibition

This year's Graduate Exhibition will be held from January 14 (Wed) to 18 (Sun) 2015 at the Annex of Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. We will be exhibiting pieces by our first and second year students, technical study course students, and international students.
*Please note that the time and place of the exhibition has changed this year.

Kawashima Textile School Graduate Exhibition
2015.1.14 (Wed.) -18 (Sun.)　9:00 - 17:00
Annex of Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art (Kyoto-shi Bijutsukan BEKKAN)
Access Information
Admission Free

Zazima Asavesna

Just only a few years ago I became interested in textile weaving. It started with the passion that I have for natural dyes.

I live in an area where the use of traditional textile and the practice of hand weaving is common, therefore people around me tend to be surprised when they heard about my decision of going to Japan to weave.

It actually turned out to be one of the best and worthwhile decisions I've ever made.

In the Beginners and Foundation Kasuri Course I've gained a lot of important fundamental knowledge that I think is going to be very useful for creating works in my entire future. We were taught to aim for perfection even when we know it will not turn out perfectly. I found that I've learned to appreciate the sophistication and refinement of fine textile crafts.

Applying what I learned from Japan with my local loom and weaving tools at home is a big challenge for me. The more I tried the more surprises I found.

Being surrounded by the energy of textile enthusiasts is a very special feeling. Seeing all the looms and weaving tools in the studio, observing students' works in progress, making new friends, exchanging thoughts and ideas, seeing indigo plants outside the window growing bigger every day, being so close to nature and wildlife, going to galleries and craft markets, visiting textile artists' studios are some of my impressive memories at the time of my study at Kawashima Textile School.


Borderless Borders

from the KTS Graduate Exhibition, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, March 2014

I am touched by the existence of harmony between different cultures. I have tried to integrate the knowledge of kasuri with the practice and tools of Thai Mud-Mee weavings. Inspired by a simple weft ikat line pattern that is commonly seen on the bottom of traditional women's skirts in the north-eastern region of Thailand, this line is known as "dan." It literally means "border."

on the loom

Zazima Asavesna (Thailand)

---

Zazima studied in the Beginners Course, Foundation Kasuri Course and Applied Kasuri Course I in spring 2013.

Katja Beckman Ojala

I have studied textile art and have graduated from HV skola in Sweden, where I majored in weaving and embroidery. My work is very sculptural and I like to work with the body. Coming to study in Kyoto was a great experience for me. I met a lot of lovely people in the beautiful surroundings. It was the first time I tried Kasuri techniques, and you have to put a lot of love and time in it.

from the KTS Graduate Exhibition, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, March 2014

My work is based on my travel around Japan. How the nature is very close, even in the big cities. I loved being surrounded by the mountains all the time.

I found it very interesting how Japanese art history differs from the western one. How a picture is built up and that the empty spaces are just as important as the motif.

I studied at Kawashima Textile School for two months. I fell in love with Kyoto and I wanted to bring a piece of the city back home in my piece. I have used different Kasuri techniques that I learned at the school. The shapes of the woven pieces are inspired by obi belts. I think they are a piece of art on their own.

Katja Beckman (Sweden)

---

Katja was an exchange student from HV Skola (Sweden) and studied in the Foundation Kasuri Course and Applied Kasuri Course I to III in autumn 2013. You can see and read more about her stay in Japan on her blog: Katja Beckman

Graduate Exhibition

This year's Graduate Exhibition will be held from March 5-9 at the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. We will be exhibiting pieces by our first to third year students, technical study course students, and international students.

Kawashima Textile School Graduate Exhibition
2014.3.5 (Wed.) -9 (Sun.)　9:00 - 17:00
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art (Kyoto-shi Bijutsukan)
Admission Free

Featured in Fiber Art Now

We are featured in the winter 2014 issue of Fiber Art Now. Kawashima Textile School is introduced in an article called "Fiber Destinations" by Trudi Van Dyke, alongside Les Soeurs Anglaises (France) and The Tasara World Centre for Creative Weaving (India).