katagami

ZAK + FOX…New Japanese Inspired Textiles and My First Real Giveaway

An object becomes so much more interesting when a little bit of history is revealed.
– Zak Profera

Like “You had me at hello” in Jerry Maguire, Zak Profera’s new textile line ZAK + FOX had me at the quote above and the photo below. Printed on Belgian linen using water-based inks, Profera has created a versatile new line of interiors fabrics with global inspiration. In particular, a few of the patterns have their roots in Japanese symbols and motifs, which I find particularly appealing. In celebration of his launch, Zak is offering the long bolster pillow on the left in the photo below as my first official giveaway. Entering is easy – the details can be found at the end of this post.

JINGASA

The pillow is made of Jingasa fabric in the snow colorway and reads to me as a modern stylized form of karakusa, the scrolling arabesque vine pattern seen over and over again in Japanese decorative arts. The word jingasa refers to the iron helmets that were used by Edo period soldiers and I managed to find an image of one, complete with karakusa pattern, even before reading Zak’s own personal inspiration for it.

According to Zak, Jingasa “is an abstract, all over composition that was inspired by a crest seen on an antique helmet. I think I was romanced by the idea of some lone wanderer, so in a way the motif could be seen as marking points on a map or a trail to follow. The blade-style point gives it a bit of a masculine edge and removes it from just feeling like a bunch of polka dots, though I wanted to keep an “artist’s hand” in the pattern by using watery line-work and giving it an inky tone-on-tone effect.”

MATSU

Next up is his Matsu pattern which is a classic interpretation of pine, or in this case matsukawa bishi, pine bark. This stylized version of pine is seen everywhere, from kamon…

…to tsuba (sword guards).

Zak “loves the simplicity of the pine bark motif and wanted to use it in a way that felt modern and different. I spotted a kimono with a dense repeat of flowers that started at the shoulders and drifted downward in an airy pattern; with this concept in mind, “Matsu” became an energetic pattern with an almost ombre-like effect to it. Some have told me it feels a bit like snakeskin (and I agree) but I think the minimalistic nature of the motif keeps it timeless and not trendy.”

TAKIGAWA

Takigawa translates to “waterfall and river” or more loosely as “rapids,” an apt name for this asymmetric stripe. For me, it is the least literal in its Japanese influence and instead reminds me of an antique Indian dhurrie rug.

Takigawa is Profera’s “version of the traditional stripe and uses a style of repeat seen in many Japanese textiles. I wanted to simplify the pattern by keeping the natural linen exposed—it gives it a raw edge that feels untouched, and at the same time it’s super modern. Depending on the color selected, it can feel tailored or relaxed — a quality that I love. I’ve seen it in a few different colors now as I work with other designers to create custom colors for projects and it’s definitely one of the most versatile patterns in the collection; it works just as well in a beach house as it does in a New York City loft.” Personally, I think the exact same thing can be said about a dhurrie rug too!

I can’t resist showing this photo from ZAK + FOX’s beautiful photo shoot at Temple Court in New York City.

An amazing 1883 building that has fallen into the very best kind of decay (original details protected for decades by ugly drywall) Temple Court has become the stuff of urban legend and high-end modeling jobs and is supposedly going to be restored as a hotel. Right now it would make the perfect interior setting for filming Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. For more on Temple Court, there is a wonderful article in The New York Times.

KATAGAMI

His Katagami fabric is a bit of a pun, considering that katagami stencils are used to make Japanese textiles. Is Katagami made with a katagami? No, but fun thinking about it in a loop.

In writing about his inspiration, Profera “became totally infatuated with these stencils, not necessarily the “traditional” ones with recognizable patterns but more so by the abstract, almost tribal patterns that felt a bit unplaceable — not quite bullet-point “Japanese”. This pattern uses one of the more unique antique stencils I stumbled upon, though quite edited with selections changed and redrawn to feel more composed and harmonious.”

His description reminded me of the unusual stencils in this amazing interior by Steven Gambrel, shown here before.

While I love all the patterns, my personal favorites are Jingasa and Takigawa in the plum colorway. Those of you who know me can’t possibly be surprised by that.

Pillows or cushion to contrast with my Bennison floral in the front entry at the beach?

And for all you Japanese motif junkies out there I have been meaning to mention Snow, Wave, Pine: Traditional Patterns in Japanese Design for ages. It is a beautiful tome, cataloging patterns by category and illustrating them with examples of the finest decorative arts.

There are also six other patterns – Volubilis, Plus, Karun, Palma, Nimrud, and Postage – in numerous colors in the new ZAK + FOX line, all well worth checking out. Which brings us back to the fun part…the giveaway!

THE GIVEAWAY

You can be the owner of this lovely 11 x 22 inch feather and down filled bolster made of Jingasa fabric in the snow colorway. The pillow is that wonderful long shape that looks perfect in a grouping on a couch, as a lumbar pillow on an armchair or anchoring bed pillows.

As for the details – it is easy. Simply leave a comment on my post telling me which is your favorite pattern (or frankly, any comment) and then click over to the ZAK + FOX website and join Zak’s mailing list (he promises not to barrage you with emails) by entering your email address in the field in the upper right corner of the home page. We will take entries for a week, until 6pm EST, Wednesday, March 28. One entry per person, although I am tempted to beg someone to enter for me. So unfair that in good sportsmanship I cannot enter myself!!

Mar 22, 2012 By tokyojinja in Books, Movies & TV, Design Motif, Interior Design, Textiles 33 Comments Tags: fabric, giveaway, interior design, Japanese design, Japanese inspired textiles, jingasa, karakusa, katagami, linen, matsu, pillows, takigawa, textile design, ZAK + FOX

Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing Baby…Katagami Go Mainstream at Crate & Barrel

Thanks to K, I can report that others out there besides myself and my readers are katagami (rice paste stencils) crazy. None other than Crate & Barrel is working with artist Robin Bradford to produce a series of five new stylized framed katagami.

Interesting, but not the same at all. Don’t you agree?

For more on this topic, see my previous post Katagami…Perfect Thank You Present Found. And feel free to contact me if you want assistance in purchasing some antique originals…

Aug 17, 2011 By tokyojinja in Artist Spotlight 1 Comment Tags: japanese antiques, katagami, stencils

Kawagoe Shrine Sale Never Disappoints

Thursday was the 28th of the month which means that it is time for the Kawagoe shrine sale. We have had a lot of rainy 28ths lately, so it was lovely to wake to a warm sunshiny day. I went with every intention of not buying anything (ha!), which of course proved to be an impossible task. The market felt a bit quieter than usual, but there were plenty of Tokyo folks there.

The theme of the day was clearly baskets…

I was dying for these amazing huge winnower baskets, imaging them hung on a wall in the den of a country house. I know I’ve seen a recent photo of a similar basket display, but can’t remember where. When I do, I’ll add it in here.

Addendum: I didn’t find the photo I was thinking of, but I did find this one with a symmetrical display of Vietnamese fishing hats…

and this one from The Bootstrap Project (more on that in a later post) of handmade Zambian baskets displayed asymetrically.

These baskets would be perfect in a bathroom with one closed holding extra toilet paper and the other open with extra towels.

I didn’t buy any baskets, having just found this one last week. It is just perfect for holding magazines.

But there were some things I couldn’t resist…

I have a weakness for Japanese bellflowers, so this katagami stencil came home with me.

A couple of Tokyo friends got lucky and bought big Japanese fishing floats from this dealer. I got a bunch of small rolling pin or roller floats, all slightly different in shape and size, but roughly around five inches long. I figure I can’t get my big floats back to the US anytime soon, but a handful of these in a basket in the bathroom might do!

Speaking of the bathroom, I thought this kashigata looked like a sand dollar and a starfish and would be perfect to display alongside the bowls of the real things collected by the girls.

Gorgeous shape and color, but it was the glass screw top that sold me!

Is it a stool or a table? Either! This was my favorite find of the day.

Remember this post from a couple of days ago? Patina over perfection…antiques with flaws can be very affordable. I didn’t need this big Seto pot, but it was a lovely one, fishbowl style with a finished and glazed interior. At first glance a 30,000yen (about $300) piece…

…at second glance, this repair brought the price down to 10% of that. For 3000yen ($30) it came home with me.

Friends scored big time too. The sake jug on the left came home with M, as her birthday present. I was so happy to find it after another friend got the one on the right last October.

M got this amazing roof tile cap from Nagano too.

And these 3 smaller inban hibachi (transfer printed charcoal brazier), probably from tobacco sets.

Another friend bought these gorgeous late-Edo period covered bowls. I want to research the unusual painted pattern as I know I have seen it in a museum collection somewhere. Just so modern!

We finished with our usual post-antiquing repast. Indian food! Their keema curry is super-delish!

Apr 30, 2011 By tokyojinja in Glass, Porcelain and Pottery, Shrine Sales and Flea Markets 14 Comments Tags: baskets, flea market, glass bottles, japanese antiques, Japanese glass floats, kashigata, katagami, porcelain, Seto, shrine sale

Katagami…Perfect Thank You Present Found

It was the best of times, during the worst of times…

When you live your life as an expatriate, friends become like family. You join them for holidays like Thanksgiving and they get to know your children well. In emergencies, they take care of you, just the way family would. We have a lot of people to thank for the last few weeks and I am enjoying searching out some thank you presents.

The friend who kept us in Singapore already has a pair of beautiful katagami, the Japanese stencils used in printing designs on fabric, usually for kimono. Hers are an unusal long narrow pair, used to make obi, but more commonly seen are smaller stencils, like the ones framed in the Eric Cohler designed bedroom above or those in the Steven Gambrel designed dining room below.

Gambrel is a master at using tightly hung textile arts in his interiors and he is one of the only published designers out there who does it often.

You can see it over and over again in his portfolio.

These look to be actual textile fragments.

Katagami are not the only fabric “printing aids” found among Japanese antiques. Obi zuan, the hand-painted patterns used in obi making can also be found at antique stores and shrine sales. I even saw a number of them framed at the Altfield Gallery in Hong Kong. Honestly, I still cannot get over how many Japanese antiques there were for sale in Hong Kong!

On Saturday I ran down to the Azabu Juban patio market, knowing there is a dealer who usually has a nice selection of katagami. He did not disappoint – actually all the dealers were there and it was business as usual. In the wake of the disaster, it is not just aid that people need, it is for their livelihoods to continue. In that spirit, shopping seems to be one of the more valuable things I can do.

Picking out the stencils was not hard. There were two bingata style katagami, used to make traditional Okinawan cloth that I thought my friend would really like. The bingata stencils tend to be curvy and pictorial, with plants and animals depicted, unlike some of the more geometric katagami. They weren’t too big, so they wouldn’t take a lot of wall space commitment either. Key to highlighting the detail is to use a white or light-colored liner.

One common way to frame them is to cover the dark border entirely or partially with the mat.

Another way to frame them is to allow the dark border of the stencil to function as a mat in lieu of one. Here, Maja Smith of Alegria Design uses an unexpected modern lucite box frame and no matting to highlight her katagami.

In the end, I chose a framing style similar to the first image in the post – with a mat, but allowing the dark border to show as an inner frame. I’ll post the final product when it comes back from the framer.

Unfortunately, I cannot blog about the other thank you gifts I am out shopping for as I know those friends are regular readers. They will just have to wait and be surprised…

Image credits: 1. House Beautiful October 2008, photo credit: Julian Wass, 2. House Beautiful April 2011, photo credit: Simon Watson, 3-5. Steven Gambrel, 6-10. me.

Apr 6, 2011 By tokyojinja in Earthquake, Expat Life, Interior Design, Textiles 13 Comments Tags: Altfield, bingata, Eric Cohler, katagami, obi zuan, Steven Gambrel, textile stencil