Back in 2019, the Minneapolis Institute of Art acquired the
collection of Thomas Murray, an expert on Japanese textiles made of materials like wool, cotton, fish skin, elm bark, and banana fiber. Above, an Attush robe made of elm bark by the Ainu people of Hokkaido. Some of these items required a lot of conservation before they could go on display, which is just happening now.
These are folk traditions, and these objects were made and worn by ordinary people. This image is from a Japanese printed cotton robe, early 20th century, that was worn by the fisherman who presented the largest catch at a local festival.
Another cotton festival robe.
Cotton kaparamip robe, Ainu
Traditional festival robe from Okinawa.
While I'm sure you meant nothing by it, calling Ainu and Ryukyuan / Okinawan outfits "Japanese" textiles is both inaccurate and culturally insensitive.
ReplyDeleteIt'd be like calling an Irish pub a purveyor of "British cuisine"; or a Hawaiian lūʻau a "traditional American celebration"; or the Catalan language a "Spanish dialect"; etc.
Could we get the post title adjusted slightly?
Danke schön!
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