Kanagawa Gallery Stroll
File.1 Jike Studio
( Shino Yamamoto/Galerie Watts)
It's a pleasant season that makes you want to take a stroll.
It's a cloudy day, but a calm day. ``Yes, let's go there,'' I thought, and headed to Jikecho in Aoba Ward, Yokohama City. It is also known as the hometown village of temples, and is a green conservation area where fireflies can still be seen.
After getting off the bus and walking for a while through the countryside, you will see a building that gives off the atmosphere of Totoro.
Jike Studio is actually a very modern gallery and cafe.
JIKE STUDIO bus stop sign at the entrance. (The bus doesn't stop. But the cat bus might.)
A variety of exhibitions are held here, including art, fashion, crafts, and even rakugo.
When I peeked in, I saw colorful and mysterious knitwear floating in a simple space.
As you walk through the knitted fabrics, it seems like you are surrounded by a rhythmic sound.
The artist who was exhibiting was Yoko Takeshita, who lives in Oita. A graduate of the oil painting department at Tokyo University of the Arts, she creates unique knitwear that she views as an installation in which ``my paintings start walking around town.''
She is self-taught when it comes to knitting, and her hands are inspired by fond memories of knitting with her mother as a child.
He also values an improvisational style in which he weaves colors and materials that resonate with him at the time. Coupled with a collage of textiles that he himself drew, it becomes wearable art.
At first glance, it looks like it would be difficult to wear, but once you look through the sleeves, it becomes a bit strange. It's surprisingly easy to wear, isn't it? What's more, a feeling of freedom begins to emerge. You can rotate the skirt 360 degrees and choose the front depending on your mood that day. You can change the look of your outfit by turning the tops front to back or upside down. 
Whether it's your first time trying Takeshita's knitwear or a repeat customer, whether you're young or old, you can just watch from the sidelines as everyone tries on one item after another and shares a new sensation with each other. But it's exciting. Once you get a taste of this fun, it feels like the creative doors hidden inside you that you haven't noticed yet are opened one after another, and you'll probably get addicted to it. !
Although it was just clothing, what was unfolding before my eyes was a ``moving painting,'' exactly the kind of installation the artist intended.
``Yoko Takeshita's World Exhibition'' touches on the depth of what it means to wear something. It will be held until May 6th.
Well, after having fun for a while, let's have lunch at a cafe. The pleasant feeling of fresh greenery that looks beautiful even under a gloomy sky!
Today's menu includes appetizers such as colorful bean and orange salad, ginger-marinated squid and celery, beef and green pepper croquettes, and sautéed mackerel and spring vegetables. It also comes with homemade bread, dessert, and a drink, making it a hearty meal.
The pesticide-free vegetables that they grow themselves have a strong flavor and are packed with love. The green pepper croquettes are said to have revived the taste of gallerist Hiromi Sakagami's mother.
Furthermore, inside the store, there are works by artists associated with Jike Studio and selected goods, so there is plenty of fun to be had everywhere. Time passes quickly.
When I was about to head home with my stomach and soul completely satisfied, Mr. Sakagami said, ``I'm going to go pick up some vegetables in the field, so let's go together.''
Sunny lettuce, garland chrysanthemums, arugula, etc. are growing vigorously near the gallery. It looks like tomatoes will be popular from now on.
``Compared to the people around me, I'm embarrassed because I'm doing my own thing...'' she said with a shy smile as she shared the fresh vegetables with us.
"Value the time that flows and the time that does not flow"
It was a day where I was fully immersed in this word, which is the theme of Jike Studio.
