June 25, 2014

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)

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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