Title Kumihimo Jewelry Nakayama Aya
Author Nakayama Aya
Publication Year 1979
The author Aya Nakayama says "My book "Kumihimo Jewelry" seemed to be rediscovered recently by a student when she read the title in a library. She decided to study it for her graduation thesis. Her first understanding of the term Kumihimo Jewelry was that it meant a jewel-encrusted braided necklace. This is no wonder because in Japan, jewelry normally means a decoration with jewels. However Kumihimo Jewelry is a personal ornament designed by an artist and so originality is an essential character.
It was almost 30 years ago when I started to work with Kumihimo for my jewelry oeuvre. My first visit to Europe awakened me to how ignorant I was about my own country Japan and so in my subsequent works I focussed my attention there.
In researching Japan's original materials and techniques I discovered the beauty of Kumihimo. My first work was made with a kumihimo braid - although this had been made by another person - and it was accepted in a competition. The work was not entirely my own because the kumihimo had not been made for jewelry and this dissatisfaction in addition to the pleasure I found in the elegant braiding movements resulted in my study of Kumihimo. It was with surprise that I realized the huge variety of pattern and shape of kumihimo braids that can be produced using the simple stand called a marudai. My enthusiasm for Kumihimo developed in this way.
A more original work became possible when I understood that the variety in Kumihimo braids was due to a combination of structure, color arrangement and the color of the thread. This development resulted in the award of a fourth place prize in a competition. This work was further improved in color and the Kumihimo part was entirely replaced. My Kumihimo work thus became more beautiful and the final work was more original although it was nothing more than an easy combination of Kumihimo and chased metal.
How can silver and silk be joined ? Day and night, the compatibility of chased metal and braided silk was on my mind. I researched methods of making the fusion between the two and eventually figured out a satisfying solution. The result was not perfect but my first fusion work, a necklace was finally perfected and awarded a grand prix.
This type of work was named Series U representing United as well as the "u" of Yugou (fusion in Japanese) . Two works U-1 and U-5 were added to the collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. A series of work using Kumihimo was named Kumihimo Jewelry."
It was almost 30 years ago when I started to work with Kumihimo for my jewelry oeuvre. My first visit to Europe awakened me to how ignorant I was about my own country Japan and so in my subsequent works I focussed my attention there.
In researching Japan's original materials and techniques I discovered the beauty of Kumihimo. My first work was made with a kumihimo braid - although this had been made by another person - and it was accepted in a competition. The work was not entirely my own because the kumihimo had not been made for jewelry and this dissatisfaction in addition to the pleasure I found in the elegant braiding movements resulted in my study of Kumihimo. It was with surprise that I realized the huge variety of pattern and shape of kumihimo braids that can be produced using the simple stand called a marudai. My enthusiasm for Kumihimo developed in this way.
A more original work became possible when I understood that the variety in Kumihimo braids was due to a combination of structure, color arrangement and the color of the thread. This development resulted in the award of a fourth place prize in a competition. This work was further improved in color and the Kumihimo part was entirely replaced. My Kumihimo work thus became more beautiful and the final work was more original although it was nothing more than an easy combination of Kumihimo and chased metal.
How can silver and silk be joined ? Day and night, the compatibility of chased metal and braided silk was on my mind. I researched methods of making the fusion between the two and eventually figured out a satisfying solution. The result was not perfect but my first fusion work, a necklace was finally perfected and awarded a grand prix.
This type of work was named Series U representing United as well as the "u" of Yugou (fusion in Japanese) . Two works U-1 and U-5 were added to the collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. A series of work using Kumihimo was named Kumihimo Jewelry."
