SPIRAL is pleased to present a solo exhibition of Fujiwo Ishimoto's textiles and ceramics, introducing recent work created in Finland,from June 15th to 27th, 2010. Ishimoto has worked as a textile print designer for Marimekko since 1974, indelibly marking his name within the history of Finnish textile art.His textile designs total some 300 patterps, employing themes from Finland's vast natural environment to communicate the beauty of living things.Yet their appreciation within the world of Finnish traditional textile design can also be traced to the fresh new dimension his Japanese aesthetic heritage and conception of nature has brought to his work. From 1989 Ishimoto started to create ceramic works. After working for one year as a guest artist for ceramics maker Arabia Finland, he worked in the U.S. in 1991.Ever since, he's continued designing ceramics from his atelier within Arabia Finland's art department. In recent years his work has focused on flower motifs, in which he says he feels limitless possibility. In this viewing SPIRAL will present the latest work from this Flower series.
In Ishimoto's words,"What I like about ceramics is that I can physically engage the material with my hands. When I work with clay, I have to listen to, and humbly follow, what the material says. The form follows almost as if by chance."He continues, "I put color at the center of my creative interests, both in textile and clay. It is crucial for me to find each exact color, and the world of that color." Ishimoto insists on using bright colors for both ceramics and textiles to deliver the richness of nature, regardless of cultural differences between Finland and Japan.In addition to his new ceramic work, SPIRAL is pleased to present pieces from Ishimoto's Flower series, which were previously shown in the Uniflora exhibition held at the Design Museum in Helsinki Finland in 2008, as well as a ｓｅｌｅｃｔion of his textile works.
Fujiwo Ishimoto
1941 Born in Ehime prefecture, Japan
B.A.,Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, department of graphic design
1964-1970 PR department, Ichida Co.,Ltd.
1970-1974 Designer, De'cembre Company,Helsinki
1974-2006 Textile print designer, Marimekko
1989- Started producing ceramic work, Arabia Finland
Mr. Ishimoto has received many awards including the Industrial and Craft Design Award from the Finnish government, and the Kaj Franck Award, given to celebrate a designer's innovative work in the field of industrial design.
* The text provided by SPIRAL.