A shared respect for the natural environment prompted esteemed Japanese textile artist Yukihito Kanai to jump at the opportunity to bring an exhibition of his work to New Zealand.
Within Japan and internationally, Kanai practices and promotes the art of dorozome, a mud-dyeing technique unique to the Japanese island of Amami Ōshima. This practice is part of the creation of Ōshima-tsumugi, a silk textile which is hand-dyed and woven to produce garments like the kimono.
The mud-dyeing practice requires years of expertise to create the rich array of colours.
Kanai says, “The process involves dyeing with plant dye about 20 times before applying a single iron-rich mud dye. This cycle is repeated four or five times. Since the dyeing outcome varies each time, constant adjustments are necessary. These adjustments require years of expertise.”
Kanai was aware of traditional Māori dyeing practices and felt a connection to their ethos. He was curious to visit New Zealand and learn more about indigenous practices.
The outcome has been his visit, workshops in Kāpiti and an exhibition, ‘!Nature in Amami Ōshima! Yukihito Kanai, textile artist’, at Toi MAHARA, in Waikanae.
“It all started when Debbie Donnelly, the co-curator of the Toi MAHARA exhibition, visited us on Amami Ōshima in 2023,” he says.
Donnelly is a Kāpiti-based textile artist and curator with an affinity with the country’s textile art and craft through her art practice and her Japanese mother.
She has visited Japan several times to develop artistic collaborations between New Zealand and Japanese artists.
“I had two hours before I needed to be back in Tokyo,” she recalls, “when I discovered Yukihito’s workshop.”
“I felt so at home with everything. I decided there and then to invite him to New Zealand and he didn’t hesitate to accept.”
The resulting exhibition includes two precious kimono, paper wall hangings and contemporary garments.
Kanai is the second-generation proprietor of fabric-dyeing studio Kanai Kougei, in the town of Tatsugo.
Amami Ōshima, the third largest island in the Ryukyu archipelego, has a sub-tropical climate, high annual rainfall, iron-rich soil and plant life which Yukihito regards as key to the work he and others on the island are so known for.
“Natural dyeing is only possible because of the natural environment,” he says.
“That’s why I always feel like I am being allowed to dye, rather than simply doing it myself.”
While in Kāpiti, Kanai collaborated with six invited Kāpiti artists in an artistic cultural exchange. Their hand-dyed streamers celebrate Tanabata, the Star Festival, and are on display as part of the exhibition. Kanai also conducted four introductory workshops at the Ngā Manu Nature reserve in Waikanae to share shibori dyeing processes using natural plants.
The exhibition was opened by Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr. Makoto Osawa and continues at Toi MAHARA until 1 June, 2025. The Gallery is grateful for the support of the Deane Endowment Trust for this special international exhibition.