Itchiku Kubota: Kimono in the ''Tsujigahana'' Tradition: Exhibition Catalog (Paperback)

~ Dextra Frankel (Author), Itchiku Kubota (Illustrator)

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Product Description

Catalog of an exhibition held in 1980. Frankel had the rare treat of attending Kubota's first one-man exhibition held in Mikimoto Hall in the Ginza, Tokyo. Frankel marveled at the beauty of his creations & decided it would be a privilege to introduce him & his work to the American public. Kubota answered Frankel's questions concerning the evolvement of his work & its significance within the historical context of ''Tsujigahana'' dyeing of fabrics for kimonos. Contents of this catalog: The Art of ''Itchiku Tsujigahana'' Dyeing, by Tetsuro Kitamura; ''Tsujigahana'' & Itchiku Kubota, by Tomoyuki Yamanobe; ''Itchiku Tsujigahana,'' by Itchiku Kubota; Catalogue; & Glossary. Black & white photos of Kubota and full-color photos of his kimonos.

Product Details

• Paperback: 46 pages
• Publisher: California State University at Fullerton (January 1, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1422393003
• ISBN-13: 978-1422393000
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,185,350 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a Quality Book, August 30, 2009

By	LuvKimono (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

I own four books about the art of Itchiku Kubota (deceased 2003), the Japanese master of the art of tsujigahana, one of the major thread-resist traditions of Japan. Kubota used stitch resist to create exhibition kimono of astonishing detail and luminosity. His primary subject matter was nature, in particular, the changing seasons. In the latter part of his career he devoted himself to creating landscapes on kimonos, which now reside in the museum he built for his work near Mt. Fuji. His work is breathtaking and astounding. The atelier he established is continuing to produce kimono, though they are not at the same level as the ones he made.

This is the least informative and attractive of the four books I own. The photographs are very dark and the information about Kubota's work and techniques is very sparse. If you are interested in contemporary tsujigahana, I recommend Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota, a very large format hardcover costing only $1.50 more than the Frankel book, or Opulence: The Kimonos and Robes of Itchiku Kubota, which is out of print but available. These two are well worth the money if you are interested in fabrics produced with this technique.