Kata kata

Kata kata consists of two textile designers, who use the Japanese traditional dyeing technique called katazome to design textile products. They use the traditional dyeing technique in their works to create the daily products in modern times. The Japanese traditional towel, tenugui usually has repeating patterns while the kata kata tenuigui is like a piece of picture which reflects their own imaginative world.

Because of the complicated producing process of katazome-technique, unfortunately the technique has been practiced decreasingly.

Kata kata tenugui which are produced by katazome techinique stands out from the mass-production items thanks to the warmth and the style that kata kata products possess.

 

 
Katazome

Katazome is the Japanese traditional dyeing technique which has many processing stages.

 

Katazome-dying process
  1. Glue the design onto the shibugami which is coated Japanese paper and cut with cutter.


  2. Coat the shibugami by using vanish in order to strengthen the paper. The paper stencil is ready.


  3. Put the paper stencil onto the fabric, and spread rice glue evenly with a palette knife. Let the fabric dry.


  4. When the glue is dry, put some seaweed glue on it using a brush. It will prevent the color from spreading. When the seaweed glue gets dry, spread the color with a brush. The fabric parts which are coated with the seaweed glue do not get dyed. When the dye is dry, let the color fix and steam for half an hour.


  5. Wash the glue away in the water. When the glue is totally washed off, let it dry and the fabric making is completed.


Profile

On the left side of the picture: Takeshi Matsunaga
Born in Kumamoto prefecture in 1980.

2004
2005
Established Kata kata
The graduation exhibition at AXIS Gallery in Roppongi, Tokyo
Received the Zokei prize
Graduated from the department of textile design of Tokyo Zekei University

On the right side of the picture: Chie Takai
Born in Shizuoka prefecture in 1981.

2004


2005
Short exchange program at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam
Established Kata kata
The graduation exhibition at AXIS Gallery in Roppongi, Tokyo
Graduated from the department of textile design of Tokyo Zekei University
Received a prize from the competition organized by The Japan Folk Crafts Museum
 
© 2007-2010 common  All rights reserved.