Kachoufuugetsu: Tsumami-Zaiku Exhibition in Manchester November 2, 2023 – Posted in: News – Tags: , , , , ,

With great joy and excitement, I would like to announce that my first solo exhibition “Kachoufuugetsu” will be held at Saan1 Gallery in Manchester, as part of the Glimpse of Japan Festival.

Kachoufuugetsu – Selected work by Cora Fung
A Tsumami-Zaiku Exhibition
Part of Saan1 Fest: Glimpse of Japan

Preview: 7th December 2023 6pm-9pm

Open: 8th-10th December 2023 12pm-6pm

Venue: Saan1, 5 Kelvin St, Manchester, M4 1ET

Kachoufuugetsu is the first solo exhibition of Cora Fung, a Tsumami-zaiku artist based in Sheffield. The exhibition will showcase headpieces and traditional artwork created through the media of fabric and dye. Taking great inspiration from nature, Cora’s work features a wide variety of flowers, as well as birds and butterflies. 

Kachoufuugetsu is a Japanese phrase that alludes to the impermanent beauty of nature, depicted by the loveliness of Spring flowers, the melancholy of Autumn birds, the coolness of the Summer breeze, and the solitude of the Winter moon. It also refers to the use of nature as the subject of artistic creation, and the pleasure achieved by such pursuit. 

Living in a fast paced world with constant exposure to information and technologies, modern life can be overwhelming and exhausting. Through this event, Cora wishes to connect with the audience by sharing the tranquility and solace that she found in the innocent beauty of nature, as well as the joy and fulfillment that she acquired through practicing the craft of Tsumami-zaiku.

Residing in a city adorned with plenty of gardens, parks, and peaks, Cora takes great inspiration from the ethereal yet ever-changing beauty of nature. She aims to capture its gracefulness and vitality through the elaborated and delicate craft of tsumami-zaiku. Cora primarily works with lightweight cotton and silk fabric, and is eager to explore different kinds of hand-dye techniques and colour combinations. Her work includes headpieces, jewellery, and decorative artwork.

About Tsumami-Zaiku

Tsumami-zaiku is an artisan skill originated in the Japanese aristocracy, dating back to the late 18th century. It is a traditional craft in which practitioners create decorative items and fashion accessories by folding and assembling small, square pieces of fabric.

Tusmami-Zaiku has always played an important part in the traditional entertainment scene, as it is adopted to create elaborate headpieces for Maiko. The craft is also used for creating hair accessories for special occasions such as coming-of-age ceremonies and weddings. With the popularisation of Tsumami-Zaiku, application of the craft has become much wider. The craft can be found on items such as jewellery, pictures, and home decor. Designs of Tsumami-zaiku have also evolved. Although the motif of Tsumami-Zaiku traditionally revolves around nature, more abstract patterns can also be found in contemporary work.