Beautiful Blue Boro

After the excitement of Sunday with it's original Lotte Reiniger cut outs, I was very happy for the rest of the week to be rather more mundane. However I had not anticipated the sheer fabulousness of the 'Boro:Threads of Life' exhibition in the East Wing of Somerset House. The sun was shining, the fountains were in full flow with small children running through them, cafe tables and chairs were out and the whole place felt quite special. I observed and smiled, London is transformed when the sun is out, as is its population.

I walked across the cobbles and entered the gallery and was blown away by what was on show. About forty extraordinary examples of Japanese Boro. Ravishing panels of blue and cream, and sometime brown fabrics, layered and re-layered and stitched and over stitched to create stunning pieces of work, that spoke of years of history. They are imbued with an understanding of visual aesthetic way beyond the humble materials used. The textures and patterns of both the fabrics and the way that they are pieced together reminded me of Klee and Rothko - I wonder if they had ever come across these panels?

Added bonus points to the visit was meeting, by chance, Claire Wellesley Smith who is an expert dyer and just happens to be one of the other tutors at Les Soeur Anglaises and was equally bowled over by the show - it was a treat to share it with her.

http://clarabellacraft.blogspot.fr/

If you see one exhibition this year make it this one.

Sadly it closes April 26th so what are you waiting for?

Cobbles at Somerset House

Shadows and sunshine