Hisako SEKIJIMA
BASKETRY

A small basketry, just large enough to hold in one’s hands, sets us vibrating. In this space constructed of plant fibers, there is no left or right, no up or down. Where is the beginning, where the end? Conventional comprehending shatters, and our antennas of sensitivity start to recalibrate.

Lifting it up, peering inside. The fibers that touch our fingertips still exude a lustrous wildness, like the bark was stripped yesterday. Bent unnaturally from top to bottom, from bottom to top, the fibers bend upwards. Before we realize it, we find ourselves wandering through a forest of lines. Through cracks, fissures and gaps, through countless interconnected cavities we freely traverse between inside and outside.

In Sekijima’s basketry meticulous calculations and the realm beyond calculations are interwoven. Order and chaos are integrated into one. Each work shows the journey of the creator, who travels between natural law and imagination by weaving plants. Until now Sekijima has woven over 700 pieces. Looking at her lifework, we know that this output can be only achieved by moving towards truth with one’s entire being. At the same time, each of her works feels as charming and light as the play of a child. Here, we savor a freedom found nowhere else, and are filled with the joy of wisdom. After wandering the spaces and lines of her basketry, we feel the world different.

As our final exhibition in 2024, we are hosting Hisako Sekijima, one of the leading figures in basketry art. We show 26 pieces presenting the pinnacle of Sekijima’s basketry art. The pieces on display incorporate a wide range of techniques including knotting, weaving, twisting, twining, and interlacing. Sekijima herself will be present at the gallery on the 6th, 7th and 8th of December. On Saturday, December 7th, she will participate in a gallery talk with Keiko Shimazaki, the chief curator of the Tomo Museum of Art in Tokyo.

This year, Sekijima’s book “The Formula of Basketry” was republished after 36 years. It not only guides readers through the craft and artistic aspects of weaving but also allows us to trace Sekijima’s philosophical journey, opening our eyes to the beauty of questioning and inquiring. This masterpiece is a essential reading for anyone involved or interested in craftsmanship. During the exhibition the book is available in the gallery.

Hisako SEKIJIMA｜関島寿子
Sekijima Hisako was born in Tainan (Taiwan) in 1944. After studying English literature and working for several years in Tokyo, at the age of 28 she started to learn traditional rattan basketry. In 1975 she moved with her husband to New York.

The museums and collections she had access to in New York gave her the opportunity to study the weaving traditions of numerous cultures. Her encounters with the avant-garde of modern basket makers in the States (Ed Rossbach, John McQueen) opened up totally new approaches for her. She was fascinated by how these basket makers, through study and practice of traditional techniques, found their own very individual style. Since that time she has been making baskets exclusively.

Her materials consist of all kind of plant fibers and bark that she gathers herself. In creating her baskets she doesn’t work within traditional Japanese patterns. A Japanese element can be seen in her works, however, in the way that she emphasizes the materiality of the natural materials. Her pieces make these natural qualities visible and touchable.

Her finesse in weaving with various natural materials, her imaginativeness in working with woven structures, her well-educated fantasy and her humility are quickly leading her to become the most important artist in contemporary basket making in Japan. She has become a sought-after teacher for workshops and university courses in Japan and all over the world. Sekijima Hisako lives in Yokohama.

photo by Yusuke NISHIBE