hiroyuki murase: suzusan

shibori is a centuries-old traditional japanese textile finishing technique. it refers to the treatment of fabrics before before the dyeing process.
certain parts of the textile's surface are folded in, tied off, or taken in. this manipulation of the material leads to unique patterns and textures.
although originally used on silk, wool and plant fibers, the same approach can also be applied to polyester fabrics.
when treated with the shibori technique and heated under steam, the chemically-produced textiles as well as leather result
in a permanent three-dimensional surface. 

 

due to the variety of different techniques which developed in arimatsu, no two craftsmen have the exact same outcome.
with the slight nuances, each artisan has a 'signature', resulting in unique lighting sculptures.