Portland Art Museum exhibits "The Kimono in Print"

Written by Warner Halstead Thursday, 24 November 2011 19:02

 

PORTLAND, OR - Japan’s national costume, the kimono, is more than a garment. It is an expressive form of dress that conveys complex social meanings through its details. In Winter, Silk Linings, on view at the Portland Art Museum through February 17, 2008, explores the significance of kimono ensembles as seen in the Museum’s distinguished collection of woodblock prints, which reveal the innovative styles and enduring traditions that guide how this robe, obi sash, and other accessories are worn.
 

Drawn largely from the Museum’s holdings, the exhibition features 70 objects including prints produced between the 18^th and 20^th centuries, a kimono and obi, woodblock printed books, and stencils used for dyeing textiles.
 
In Winter, Silk Linings also explores the relationship between woodblock prints and textiles. The production of prints, like the process of textile dyeing, involves numerous steps and the skilled hands of many artisans to delineate and color the complex compositions. The rich tones and finely carved details seen in the prints further illustrate the affinity with textiles. When introduced to the Japanese public in the mid-1700s, the polychrome woodblock prints evoked the brilliance and texture of elegant tapestries, inspiring the sobriquet “brocade pictures” (nishiki-e).
 
Woodblock prints traditionally served as a communication medium, spreading information about the latest fashions through glamorous depictions of noted beauties and Kabuki actors.  A historical record of clothing styles and popular culture, the prints likewise illuminate an abiding concern for seasonal relevance and the value placed on fine craftsmanship.  The interwoven worlds of print and textile, and of material culture and graphic design, demonstrate the vitality of deeply rooted traditions.
 
About the Portland Art Museum

The seventh oldest museum in the United States and the oldest on the West Coast, the Portland Art Museum is internationally recognized for its permanent collection and ambitious special exhibitions drawn from the Museum’s holdings and the world’s finest public and private collections. The Museum’s collection of 42,000 objects, displayed in 112,000 square feet of galleries, reflects the history of art from ancient times to today. With a membership of more than 23,000 households and serving more than 350,000 visitors annually, the Museum is a premier venue for education in the visual arts. For information on exhibitions and programs, call 503.226.2811 or visit portlandartmuseum.org.
 

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