Yamazaki Seijun, a master of vegetation dyeing
The exhibition in Shoso-in triggered him to begin his career
Yamazaki Seijun, a resident of Kitakubo-machi in Takasaki-shi, is a leading vegetation dyer whose contribution to the circle of dyeing textile has been outstanding. While he has devoted himself to carrying on the traditional art, Mr. Yamazaki has also developed unconventional methods of vegetation dyeing, and has found unknown dyeing plants to continue to release a number of great masterpieces. Mr. Yamazaki aimed to become a painter, dedicated to Japanese style paintings, or a wood block artist as a small boy. He has collected his painting sketches for sixty years, which, after World War II, unexpectedly opened his way to vegetation dyeing. He recalls what led him to the business of vegetation dyeing. "I went to an exhibition of the Shoso-in collection 51 years ago. That was the beginning. I was impressed by the vivid colors in spite of the age of more than a thousand years that had passed. That made me decide to reproduce those fascinating colors". The dyer has been bewitched by the charm of vegetation dyeing, and committed himself for creative activities as well as to the study of dyeing ever since.
The total manufacturing process is accomplished by himself
Mr. Yamazaki says with a smile that he had spent the first ten years just for reproduction of colors. When he was pursuing colors, Yamazaki invented a way to produce an original green color. Prior to that, the green color was produced only by mixing indigo blue and yellow. His invention drew attention not only in Japan, but also from abroad. He organized his effort of many years in a book called "Nihon-no Iro"("Japanese Colors"). Later, he got interested in depicting plants and trees on textures using the methods of roketu-zome (batik) or kata-zome (printing). In kata-zome (printing), he has tried to accomplish all the process - sketches, draft, printing, sizing, and dyeing - by himself. Some secrets of the attraction may be suggested in Yamazaki's statements. He says, "I do everything by myself from growing and gathering dyeing plants. The clothes and colors used in dyeing are taken from nature. How fulfilling it is to coexist with nature". He continues, "When you put on clothes which are dyed with vegetation, your body temperature induces a slight smell of grass. That's why the color, made by vegetation dyeing, used to be called scent color". It is also one of his wishes that people appreciate natural plants while enjoying the vegetation dyeing.
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