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M+, Hong Kong, © Courtesy of Tadanori Yokoo
Yokoo Tadanori 橫尾忠則
Kawashima Textile 川島織物
1997
This is a poster for the Kyoto-based textile company Kawashima Selkon Textiles. Founded in 1843, it is one of the oldest fabric and interior decoration businesses in Japan, widely known for its production of high-end textiles and preservation of the ancient Japanese weaving techniques. The design features an image resembling a Buddhist scroll painting overlaid on a background of clouds and a mountain. On either side of the scroll are the name and location of the company in Japanese and English, along with a portrait of the company president at right. The clouds contrast with the traditional Japanese cloud motif on the black and purple fans in the upper part of the composition. In the centre, the figure of Kannon-Bosatsu, also known as Guanyin, the goddess of mercy, appears in robes of solid red and grey, with threads from her robes intertwining with the portraits of Kawashima’s staff in a clear visual metaphor for the company’s activities. The striking combination of traditional and contemporary elements is typical of Yokoo Tadanori’s designs. Here, the juxtaposition alludes to the presence of Japanese hand-woven tapestries in Buddhist shrines and temples—a history dating as far back as the sixth century—as well as to Kawashima’s role in preserving this craft.
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