No 135

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.135.Do you know Sekka Kamisaka?Recently I hear TV commercial says Takashimaya department store will mount the exhibitionof Sekka Kamisaka from 5th April to 17th April. ( Takashimaya Osaka Store will hold this exhibition, and later Tokyo Store will hold same one from 24th to May to 5th June. ). And whenI looked the current issue of 'Ginka', which has most sophisticated Japanese crafts articles, I found his name and his design.Recently we are thinking and trying to make high quality Japanese handicrafts items, which will be well accepted in other countries. I knew his name, and we also sold his wood block print book in past times. But recently we didn't remind his name and works when we were discussing the item designs.We have noticed - his idea and work must inspire our plans!
Sekka Kamisaka was born in ending Edo Priod, and did great art work from Meiji period(1868-1912) to early Showa period. He learned traditional Japanese-style painting and designing, especially made a commitment to Rimpa style. Rimpa is the artists group in Edo Priod( 1603-1867), includes Soutatsu Tawaraya, Kourin Ogata and others. Their designs are bold and dramatic, and had greatimpact to Japanese art and also Impressionist school of Europe.He went Europe and studied Western art and crafts. It was 1934, when exotic Japonism effected European art, and art nouveau was very popular. He had to re-realize that Japanese design had great power which captivated modern Western people. Return to Kyoto, he did lots of design work for various artifacts, and became a leader of artifactsdesign. His design works inherit characteristics of Rimpa, and at a time they are futuristic and modern. The borderline of Japanese and Western seems not to exist. His design themes are always the closest thing of our ordinary lives, and also he was willing tomake designs for usual artifacts.
If you search internet with his name, you can find more than 48000 hits. ( Japanese pages hitonly 16000. He is said more popular in other countries, and we can confirm the reality bysearching internet.)In these some pages you can look his unique design works.
http://www.japangalleryprints.com/artist_list.asp?artist_id=86http://www.shinise.ne.jp/options/shinise/pa_categorylist.asp?c_id=277&temp_id=24&shownum=30&offset_val=0&shp=34http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:dtfhw_B4GmQJ:www.chiso.co.jp/info/topics/2003/08-04.html+%E9%9B%AA%E4%BD%B3%E3%80%80%E5%B1%95%E8%A6%A7%E4%BC%9A&hl=ja&gl=jp&ct=clnk&cd=45http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=10578
In 2001 Hermes's catalog magazine used Sekka's design on their cover and had opening articleabout him. His exhibition was also held in United States as above link. In his design works, there must be important hints about the design we are looking for - very Japanese, but acceptable also in other countries.
I heard that we can enjoy about 80 Sekka's works at Takashimaya's exhibition. If you have chance to come Osaka or Tokyo, we highly recommend to visit.
*We are looking for Sekka's woodblock print book, but seldom come across. We have sold only one Sekka's book in the past. His woodblock print books were re-publised several times, and we sometimes see comparatively new ones.Two issues of his design collection books ( modern print one) are also sold now.********************************************************
We are adding furisode, yukata and bolts. Charming antique items are added to Japanese Antiques Ichiroya, too.(http://www.antiqueichiroya.com)
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446