Shimane Arts Center

Once used for everything from writing paper to umbrellas and clothing, sekishu washi is a type of traditional Japanese paper made from paper mulberry trees in the Iwami region of Shimane prefecture. Thought to have been produced locally for around 1,300 years, the paper is durable and long-lasting – features that during the Edo period (1603–1867) made it a sought-after commodity for government officials, merchants and other professions in which record-keeping played a key role. This exhibition at the Iwami Art Museum, a part of the Shimane Arts Center in Masuda, explores the illustrious history and intriguing present of sekishu washi, which is still made in the local area, albeit on a much smaller scale than centuries ago. Today, the paper is used for purposes such as creating costumes for traditional performances and repairing the interiors of centuries-old castles around the country. Recognised by Unesco as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, sekishu washi is an embodiment of the culture of Iwami, a place where traditions that have fallen by the wayside in many other parts of Japan still endure. The exhibition highlights this legacy through 100-year-old pieces of paper, paper-making tools, textiles and other historical artefacts, as well as contemporary artworks created using sekishu washi following an exhibition at the same museum in 2016.

Marking a century since the birth of one of the most remarkable people Shimane prefecture has ever produced, the Iwami Art Museum (in the Shimane Arts Center in Masuda) celebrates world-renowned fashion designer Hanae Mori with this extensive retrospective, the first such exhibition to be held after Mori’s death in 2022. A comprehensive look at the Iwami native’s astonishing career in high fashion, which took her from one of the most rural corners of Japan to the hallowed halls of Parisian haute couture, the exhibition showcases Mori’s signature East-meets-West style and her dedication to traditional Japanese materials and techniques. Some 400 items, from Mori’s iconic butterfly-adorned dresses to photographs and personal belongings, are used to illustrate the designer’s life, convictions and philosophy of the ‘vital type’ – a vibrant, dedicated and forward-looking woman, reflecting her own approach to life. What emerges is the image of not only a brilliant fashion trailblazer, but also that of a pioneering professional whose example inspired a generation of women during Japan’s period of rapid postwar economic growth. During the exhibition period, the museum will be organising tours taking in the nature and culture of the surrounding area, inviting visitors to experience the roots of Mori’s creativity. Details for these will be announced at a later date. Also on show at the same museum until November 24 is ‘Sekishu Washi Paper and the Local Lifestyle of Iwami’, an...