Some say that Boro’s beauty is made at random. The Japanese patchworked the torn

Some say that Boro’s beauty is made at random. The Japanese patchworked the torn & damaged fabric at random, and therefore it is beautiful. I do not believe in this “beauty at random” as I had been saying since 2012 or so. It is true that the Japanese had limited choices to patchwork/mend. I imagine that cutting the fabric would be the last choice they had so they used fabric “as is” rather than cutting them to the same size for patchworking. After all, Boro is the result of Sashiko in poverty. However, I wouldn’t think it is “at random”. In fact, I feel something opposite. The pride to make it beautiful on purpose even in the extreme poverty where one cannot purchase the new fabric. I believe it is something we define ourselves as human – to be unique, beautiful, and fashionable even in the extreme situation. 

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ここ北米の東海岸でも、年々秋が短くなっているような気がします。夏からすぐに冬。朝に霜が降りる程の寒さの日がありました。刷り込まれたイメージかもしれませんが、襤褸は冬に映えます。今年はワークショップがないので、それほど着る機会はないかもしれませんが、雪が積もったら空気に触れさせてあげなきゃなと思うんです。

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僕は襤褸を作るのが上手ではありません。刺し子の上手さと襤褸制作の上手さが一致しないのも、また刺し子の面白いところ。襤褸を作る際に一番大切な能力が「布と語ること」だと思っています。だから……という訳でもないですが、やっぱり襤褸は「無作為の美」ではないと思うんですよねー。どんな貧乏でも美しくありたいと願う人々の意地と、また布と人との会話の形が襤褸なんじゃないかなぁと思うのです。

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2020-10-08 10:35:34

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