Artisans Shine as Creators
When one thinks of textiles, cotton or silk usually come to mind, but did you know that metals can also be used as textile materials? Metallic wire fabric can drape like cloth and can be patterned freely with jacquard weaving. It has a semi-transparent quality with a unique metallic sheen, and using copper offers antibacterial properties, making it ideal for interior design and art.
Recently, the interior decoration of Dior at Tokyo’s Azabudai Hills has been a topic of conversation. You can also find this innovative and sophisticated material used in places such as the facade of the Rolex building in Ginza, the art installations at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Fukuoka, and the TOTO showroom in the UK.
The mastermind behind these creations is Mikiya Toyoshima of Design Tochi. Visiting his workshop in Tango was a revelation. Not only does he create metallic textiles, but he also crafts looms, furniture, and carpets. The garden is planted with organically grown cotton and plants used for natural dyeing. His workshop feels more like a laboratory. Who exactly is Mikiya?
He laughs, saying, “I’ve just been making whatever I most wanted to make at the time, and this is where I’ve ended up.” However, upon hearing about his background, a consistent thread begins to emerge from what seems like disparate elements. As a student, Mikiya was captivated by tea kaiseki cuisine while working part-time at a traditional Japanese restaurant and aspired to become a chef. He then began making ceramics for tea ceremonies.
At the same time, he dreamed of owning his own tea room, which led him to pursue architecture. While designing buildings, he started working on interiors and eventually began crafting furniture.
Originally from Osaka, he moved to Tango upon becoming independent. Inspired by his wife, who was involved in textiles, he began weaving and even built his own loom. Fascinated by the sparkling beauty of scrap metal mesh he encountered while designing for a wire mesh company, he wondered if Nishijin weaving could be done with metal. This led him to create jacquard-woven fabrics incorporating metallic threads. His dreams, life, and work all naturally intertwine.
Locals call him various names such as “carpenter,” “weaver,” and “designer,” but with respect for his self-taught, multifaceted genius, some refer to him as the “Leonardo da Vinci of Tango.” He is free from the fixed notion that a craftsman must master a single art. Instead, he lives in the joy of creating what he desires, transcending boundaries.
When asked how he manages to do all this, he simply replies, "Because I worked hard" (laughs). He adds, “In Tango, there were many people around who taught me.” With the support of the rich textile traditions of this region, he has created a unique body of work by simply enjoying his life and work. This work contributes to the artistic presentation of luxury spaces in urban areas.
What is frustrating, however, is that the names of these artisans are rarely publicized. High-end brands prominently feature the names of renowned architects who design their stores, but seldom mention whose work the innovative metallic decorations are. Artisans involved in local industries, no matter how original their creations, have long been treated as anonymous subcontractors. However, it seems that the time has come to honor these highly creative individuals as respected creators, shining a light on them equal to that of designers and directors, depending on the field.
Original article in Japanese:
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