Hisako SEKIJIMA
BASKETRY

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