Experience a fusion of contemporary art and Edo-Tokyo's traditional crafts, now online.

For this exhibition, Tatehana collaborated with three traditional industry artisans: Tokyo Kumihimo Ryukobo, Komachi-beni Isehan Honten, and cutlery maker Ubukeya.
Tatehana's signature heel-less shoes, created in collaboration with Tokyo Kumihimo Ryukobo, feature two-tone braided cords dyed in colors selected from Tatehana's personal palette. The knots are notably utilized as a design accent.
In collaboration with Komachi-beni Isehan Honten, Tatehana produced heel-less shoes dyed in the iridescent hues of beni (safflower dye), alongside three-dimensional works from his "Descending Layer" series, derived from his iconic "Descending Painting" series. Achieving the iridescent sheen of beni, known for its difficulty in color development, required nearly a year of research to successfully dye leather with this beautiful, shimmering color.
For the collaboration with Ubukeya, a cutlery maker, Tatehana created works for his "Void Sculpture" series, which are carved from solid acrylic blocks, using floral shears.

Tatehana, who served as the exhibition director, commented, "An exhibition is typically understood as something one visits in person. However, rather than comparing offline and online experiences, this exhibition's core purpose is to focus on 'the past and future of traditional industries' as seen through the lens of my perspective as director, shared with the viewers. This is the true meaning of my creative concept 'Rethink,' and arguably the exhibition's most important message. The experience of viewing online will likely further draw us into this awareness."

The exhibition also features interview footage with the traditional industry artisans, introductions to their historical backgrounds, and videos conveying Noritaka Tatehana's thoughts on the traditional industries he collaborated with for this exhibition and his works.

"Edo Tokyo Rethink" Exhibition Online Event Outline
【Release Date】March 1, 2021 (Monday) –
【Website URL】https://edotokyorethink.metro.tokyo.lg.jp
【Organizer】Tokyo Metropolitan Government
【Participating Businesses】Tokyo Kumihimo Ryukobo, Edo Komon Hirose Dyeing Factory, Edo Kiriko Hanasho, Ubukeya Cutlery
Monsho Uwae Kyo-gen, Komachi-beni Isehan Honten, Edo Mokuhanga Takahashi Studio, Noren Nakamura

What is the Edo Tokyo Kirari Project?
The Edo Tokyo Kirari Project shines a spotlight on the techniques and products rooted in Edo and Tokyo's traditions as Tokyo's "treasures." It selects ambitious and excellent initiatives as model projects, refines them from a new perspective to enhance their value, and promotes them globally through effective marketing. Furthermore, through the process of refining and promoting these model projects, it aims to establish the Tokyo brand, revitalize Tokyo as a center of craftsmanship, enhance the appeal of traditional industries, and pass on skills to future generations.
https://edotokyokirari.jp/

What is Wakei Juku, formerly the Hosokawa Marquis Residence?
Wakei Juku, formerly the Hosokawa Marquis Residence, the venue for this exhibition, was built in the early Showa period (1936) and is a representative aristocratic residence, now registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Tokyo.
https://www.wakei.org/honkan/

Noritaka Tatehana Profile
Born in Tokyo in 1985. Tatehana comes from a family that ran the public bathhouse "Kabuki-yu" in Kabukicho, and he grew up in Kamakura. Influenced by his mother, a doll artist based on Steiner education, he learned to create things with his hands from a young age. He graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Crafts and Textile Design in 2010. Alongside cultural research on courtesans, he created kimonos and geta (traditional Japanese footwear) using Yuzen dyeing techniques. His work has been exhibited internationally, including "Image Maker" (21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, 2014), "Future Beauty" (Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and international tour, 2012), solo exhibition "Aesthetics of Cursed Power" (Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, 2016), solo exhibition "It’s always the others who die" (POLA Museum Annex, 2019), and solo exhibition "NORITAKA TATEHANA: Refashioning Beauty" (Portland Japanese Garden, 2019). He has also presented his work worldwide, including in New York, Paris, and the Netherlands. In March 2016, he organized a Bunraku puppet theater performance at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris, showcasing his diverse activities. His works are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and others.