Information

I apologise for the lack of updates to my blog.
For ease and time saving, I have moved to Instagram.
Please check there for the latest information.
On the other hand, I would like to use the Blog as a place to keep a record.
Thank you for your continued support as always.

Mayuko Fujii Instagram： ＠irotonuno

Shifu was born when I learned about paper clothwhich is woven using paper threads made from thin strips of Washi that has been made since the Edo period.　
I was so delighted to realise that “This technique allows me to write words on Washi and make it into paper threads and weave them in. And, we can never read it again”.
From there, I began to explore how the unreadable words and the texture of the cloth could be woven together.
I named the cloth “Shifu”.
　
Kimono textile and Shifu, are my two fundamental works.
I started my career with the two works around at the same time, but while I have worked on Kimono textile tirelessly, my journey with Shifu has been intermittent, and this will be the first opportunity to show my Shifu works all together.

—
Gallery SU
February27(Sat) – March14 (Sun), 2021
12:00-19:00　
Closed: March2 (Tue) and 9 (Tue)

Gallery SU
February27(Sat) – March14 (Sun), 2021
12:00-19:00　
Closed: March2 (Tue) and 9 (Tue)

Shifu is a cloth made by tearing Japanese washi paper on which words are written in ink, making it into thread, and weaving it together with silk thread.
The words that remain as traces on the cloth can no longer be read as letters, but are freed from meaning.
Mayuko Fujii says, “I think there is a truth that dwells in unreadableness.
The exhibition will feature 17 shifu that secretly contain sentences describing what she felt in each season. I hope shifu will touch your heart.
—

The text is from Gallery SU.

Ms. Kazuyo Imai is a watercolour painter, who draws flowers, insects, and birds in delicate touch with beautiful colours. She spends three months in Denmark for creating her works every summer.

I have been wishing to have her workshop for several years , but unfortunately we could not make it since she was not here in summer.

However, since she is here in Japan this summer, I am pleased to announce that we are going to have the long-awaited workshop.

Aside from the paintings that you see at her exhibitions, she cherishes sketches that she makes in daily-life.
She says that the repetition of daily sketch is the basis of her work. Those sketches are fabulous as themselves and I would like to take this opportunity to learn a part of the essential processes in painting.

In this workshop, first we will sketch using pencils mainly to capture the figure of plants and flowers in lines (observation) and then we sketch & colour it using watercolours. using the sense and image you have got when drawing them with pencil. We will have two sessions, what Kazuyo calls “morning sketch” and “afternoon sketch”. (the light and plants may look slightly different but the both sessions are basically the same)

There is something in common between the watercolour painting which comprises water and paint, and the dyeing that extracts plant dye into water.
As I strive “to extract clear colour” in plant dyeing, the lucidity in her paintings is appealing to my heart.
For this time, I will be there to help organize the space & surroundings for safe, comfortable and rich time.
I will look forward to your participation in good health.

Mayuko Fujii,

 
Date & Time:Sunday, 9, August, 2020
morning sketch 10:00-12:30 (opens at 9:45)
afternoon sketch 14:00-16:30 (opens at 13:45)
Venue: Mayuko Fujii’s atelier (Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture. 10 min walk from Kobuchizawa Station)
Capacity: 5 people respectively (subject to primary school students and above)
Participation Fee: JPY 3,000
Things required to bring along: Apron, Hat, Water bottle.
Please bring along any flowers and plants that you wish to draw if any.

I would like to seek your cooperation to wear a mask during the workshop.
For Inquiries and Application: Please send your message using the form found in the “contact” here in my website.

May I seek your understanding to make sure that you are in good health condition to travel and to participate the workshop.
Depending on the situation, the schedule may be unavoidably changed.

Thank you for visiting my website.
I am pleased to announce that my new English website has been created.
The website is designed by Ikuko who has been helping me with my Japanese website since its launch, and all my blogs started from 2014 were translated by my longtime best friend spending over a year.

I will be doing a workshop “Dye with plants at the foot of Yatsugatake.”

Date & Time: Thursday, 12, March, 2020, @13:00-15:00 (roughly)
Venue: Shogai Gakushu Centre Kobuchisawa
The material costs: JPY 1,000.-
Collaborated with Hokuto-shi Kobuchizawa Library
Sponsored by and apply to: Hokuto-shi Nagasaka Library

We have fine clear autumn days here at the foot of Yatsugatake and coloured forest trees in red and yellow attract attention.
However, the chill of the mornings and evenings makes me realise the arrival of winter, and autumn of mountains passes quickly.

It was late summer when the heat was still severe, I received an actress Ms Naomi NISHIDA and introduced my everyday work and textiles in my daily life.
I was nervous because there was a TV camera too, but it turned into a good and fun memory to have experienced dyeing and talking with Ms. Nishida which was her first time for dyeing with plants.

“Shumi Doki! Kurashini ikasu Nippon no Nuno*” Oct-Nov, 2019
NHK Publishing, Inc. P94-109 “Happy Time for weaving memory; Mayuko FUJII & Plain fabrics”

I will be doing a summer workshop “Let’s dye a postcard made of wash with plant” associated with special exhibition “Literature of mountains and water” celebrating 30th anniversary of Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Literature

13:00-15:00 on 27, July, 2019
@ ”Soshinan” in Arts Park

I will be putting my piece of “Shifu” on exhibition of Ayako UEDA, a stone-carving artist.
The Shifu is my collaboration with her.
She was describing the yet unseen piece of work as “like floating a (stone-carved) boat on the Shifu that is just like ripples…”
Together with Ueda-san’s works, made of stone yet somehow soft and warm with profundity, I hope that you will enjoy my piece of work and have a good time when you visit the exhibition.

Gallery SU
8, Dec, 2018 (Sat) – 23, Dec, 2018 (Sun) 12:00-19:00
Closed: 11, Dec (Tue) and 18, Dec (Tue)

I went to gallery geshi as the exhibition “HANADUNA” had started.

HANADUNA exhibition

5/7/2018 thu. － 16/7 mon.
open 11:00～18:00
closed tuesday＋4/7 wed.18/7 wed.

Gallery geshi
2F,54 Daimoncho,Nagano-shi,Nagano-ken 380-0841