An artist who "sews" leaves and shells in tune with the time that has passed.

(Top image) "Memories of the Mountains" (detail) 2019-2020 Petals, leaves, branches, fruit, seeds, fruit peels, thread, cloth, photographs (set of 5), artist's collection. Photography: Shintaro Yamanaka [Qsyum!]

A world of art to visit, see and feel
File.30 "Sakise Mariko Exhibition: Sewing Life"
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)

Sewing life.
I was intrigued by the title of an exhibition scheduled to be held at the Yokohama Museum of Art this spring. It sounds like it will be about something heavy, but the accompanying images of the works also give off a sense of simple cuteness.
First of all, what exactly is this?

The exhibition was postponed due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, so the summer ended without the mystery being solved.

And now, the time has finally come to solve the mystery. It has been decided that the "New Artist Picks: Mariko Sase Exhibition | Sewing Life" will be held!

Ahead of the opening on Saturday, November 14th, I was given the opportunity to speak with author Sakurai Mariko, so I went with a pounding heart.

Sase was originally interested in fashion, but after finding it difficult to actually create what she imagined, she decided to study "manufacturing." However, when she went on to study at the University of Tsukuba, the College of Art and Design's Crafts Department did not offer textiles, so she had no choice but to choose woodworking. It's quite a unique life.

"Naturally, I was surrounded by people who made tableware, chairs, and other items that had beauty in utility. So I wondered what I could do, and I arrived at sewing. I grew up with a grandmother who was an embroidery teacher, so I wanted to try sewing, the thing my beloved grandmother always did."

And so the "Sewing Wood" series was born.

* "Sewing Wood" series exhibition view Photo: Shintaro Yamanaka [Qsyum!]

"I like things that have aged, like tree rings, and things that give you a sense of the passage of time. I use a drill press to drill holes that follow the tree rings and grain, and then sew along those holes. I sew while thinking about the time that the tree has lived, and feeling close to it. I think I enjoy playing with time in this world."

Because it is made from natural materials, sometimes the bark peels off or chips during the process, but even these fragments are carefully sewn together with a needle and thread.

"Sometimes pieces get chipped along the way, but I think sewing them back together is an interesting process."

Sase, who grew up in Sashima, Yokosuka, loves the sea, and has a large stock of seashells as well as pieces of wood at home. Of course, she also sews with seashells.

"I find it fascinating what I sense from materials, so I can't help but pick up all sorts of things. My family has warned me, 'Be careful, because there might be something hidden inside them' (laughs), but as I work on them to create a piece, I feel like the story that the material possesses is melting into them, and I find that feeling fascinating as well."

* "Shell Prototype" (detail) 2020 Shell, thread Photo: Shintaro Yamanaka [Qsyum!]

When placed next to these, the works used in the direct mail for the exhibition seem a little different. This is because they are apparently a sewn record of the time spent with her grandmother, who passed away last year. Her grandmother's favorite sweatshirt, flowers blooming in the garden, mint leaves, her beloved cat's fur, and her grandmother's hair. The piece is said to be a sewn record of many memories and feelings of "thank you."

* "Day of the Thread - 2" (detail) 2019. Petals, leaves, silver thread, hair, cat fur, grandmother's sweatshirt. Artist's collection. Photo: Shintaro Yamanaka [Qsyum!]

"The flowers and leaves may eventually fade and crumble, but I want to leave the 'trace of the hands' that were used when I sewed them together. I brought the pieces to the museum in the spring, so the colors and textures may have changed if you look at them now, but those changes are fascinating too. Because they are very private pieces, I was hesitant to make them public, but I hope that it will give those who see them some inspiration."

While the exhibition was postponed, Sase gave birth to her second child. When we visited, she was working on a new piece based on an idea that came to her mind at the time of the birth. The material she chose was the cotton dress she wore when she gave birth.

"At the moment of birth, there is a lot of bleeding. Many people have a scary image of blood, but I felt a great sense of relief at that moment. I felt a sense of relief that the baby had come out safely along with the baby inside my womb. And that blood also changes over time. I keep these feelings in mind as I sew them away."

Sase has sewn pieces of wood, flowers, shells, and memories of deceased family members, but her next creative theme may be the emergence of new life.

New Artist Picks
Mariko Sase Exhibition | Sewing Life
[Dates] November 14th (Sat) - December 13th (Sun) 11:00-18:00
*Café Ogurayama is open from 10:45 to 18:00
[Venue] Yokohama Museum of Art Art Gallery 1, Café Ogurayama
[Closed] Thursday
[Fee] Free
[Organizer] Yokohama Museum of Art (Yokohama Arts Foundation)
[Cooperation] GALERIE PARIS, Café Ogurayama
[Inquiries] 045-221-0300 (Yokohama Museum of Art)