Photo report: Uehara Michiko: Lighter Than Air: The Flight of the Dragonfly

Автор: Stéphanie Courtines

Nestled in the heart of Geneva’s Old Town, the Baur Foundation, with its majestic 19th-century facade, houses a permanent collection celebrating the artistic and cultural heritage of Japan and China. Through the exhibition “Lighter Than Air: The Flight of the Dragonfly”, it transports visitors into a world where the ancestral tradition of silk weaving meets contemporary artistic innovation. Japanese artist Uehara Michiko unveils a delicate and poetic art, elevated by silk fabrics of unparalleled lightness and finesse.

From her light-filled workshop in Haebāru on Okinawa Island, Michiko pushes the boundaries of the material to the point of near-evanescence. She creates woven silk fabrics as fine, transparent and iridescent as a dragonfly’s wing. This refined weaving technique, rooted in a quest for extreme lightness, is called “akezuba”.

Uehara Michiko: “To me, the word akezuba, whose very sound I find delightful, conjures up the image of a dragonfly crossing unhindered the borders between Okinawa, Japan and the rest of Asia.”

Monsoon, Uehara Michiko, 2022. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

Michiko’s artistic journey began in Tokyo, where a visit to the Japanese Folk Crafts Museum changed her perspective fundamentally. Discovering the treasures of ancient textiles from the Ryūkyū archipelago ignited her passion for preserving and revitalizing Okinawa’s ancestral techniques, including the intricate refinement of ikat and tatewaku motifs.

The luminosity of her creations, particularly the translucent blue hues of “Corale Blue” (2010), evokes the coastline of her native Okinawa and illustrates how her environment inspires and shapes her work. Through her fabrics, Uehara Michiko celebrates not only the beauty of her island but also the resilience and timeless soul of its textile traditions.

Monsoon, Uehara Michiko, 2022. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

Suspended in the air, a white fabric woven from 3.7-denier silk threads accompanies a single feather, light as a whisper. Exceptional fineness of “Heavenly Touch” (1999)  seems to defy gravity, creating an impression of unreal suspension. Under the effect of an imperceptible air current, the feather and the silk dance gracefully. This subtle dialogue between them captures the fragile and ephemeral balance of nature, a recurring theme in Michiko’s work.

Uehara Michiko: “I’ve gone as far as I can in subtracting matter, as close to zero as I can, and yet something seems to emerge from this almost nothing.”

Textile samples for handling, Uehara Michiko. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

“Monsoon” (2022), the centerpiece of this exhibition, is a monumental work measuring 24 meters by 80 centimeters. An artistic and technical feat, this parchment-like textile is crafted from plant fibers sourced from six different countries, woven seamlessly end to end. Faithful to the cultural heritage of the Ryūkyū Kingdom’s golden age, Uehara Michiko goes beyond simple craftsmanship to create a textile that is both meditative and universal, inviting contemplation on the fragile and essential connections that unite us.

As visitors leave “Lighter Than Air: The Flight of the Dragonfly”, the contrast between the tranquility of the Baur Foundation and the bustle of Geneva’s streets is striking. Uehara Michiko’s creations do, in fact, offer a pause, a breath of air imbued with beauty and intention.

Evening Glow, Uehara Michiko, 1991. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

This stunning exhibition is on view until February 2, 2025. For those wishing to extend the experience, Michiko’s works can also be seen at the National Craft Museum in Kanazawa, Japan and at the Okinawa Gallery. The exhibition catalog deepens this discovery, offering an immersion into the creative and poetic universe of the artist.

Coral Blue, Uehara Michiko, 2010. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

Heavenly Touch, Uehara Michiko, 1999. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

Silky yarn samples, Uehara Michiko. The Baur Fondation © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines

Автор: Stéphanie Courtines

Другие Новости

На нашем сайте мы используем Cookies, чтобы быть доступнее из любой точки планеты