Japan House

Last week I ventured out to my first exhibition in months! Japan House, based on Kensington High Street was housing a capsule collection of kimonos created by Takahashi Hiroko. She is an artist and expert in traditional Japanese crafts, seen below using the 'Nioudachi' pose, a pose that two deities would use to protect the dharma and often seen at the entrance of temples.

In this exhibition she was using the traditional idea of handing kimonos down to the younger generation. where the parent's old kimonos would be re-dyed and re-tailored to fit children and grandchildren

She has taken old kimonos and unstitched them, de-colourized them and then re-dyed them with dots before reconstructing the kimonos.

There was only a small number of kimonos, each in a monochrome colour palette with a touch of gold.

Sometimes the gold element was just shown in the obijime - the 'belt' that goes over the obi.

I loved the use of bold geometrics where patterns clash but the colour palette holds them together.

Japan House also has a wonderful shop to browse around. I tend to home in on the bright colours, such as these wonderful washi wrapping papers.

Items are beautifully displayed and a simple wooden bento box becomes a work of art in itself.

Fans take on a modern feel in this geometric print.

Enamel spoons artfully placed on a simple wooden tray.

Tenegui fabrics in many shades, colours and prints.

Tenegui are thin lengths of cloth that are have a number of uses including hand towel, head band or wrapping fabric. They are usually hand printed and come in amazing prints and colours.

These stunning wooden pieces use a technique where the wood is carved by hand and fitted together without the use of nails. It would originally have been used as a window covering.

Hand printed stationery using bold design and vibrant colours.

The kimono exhibition finishes today but it's still worth a visit to the shop if you fancy a little taster into Japanese design.

Japan House

The other day I paid a visit to the wonderful Japan House which has recently opened on Kensington High Street. It's the new cultural home of Japan in London and includes a gallery, theatre, restaurant and retail floor thoughtfully curated with Japanese products. Even from the outside it has a Japanese aesthetic - low key and undemonstrative.

The ground floor houses the retail section and I immediately homed in on the brightly-coloured printed paper items. I love the origami paper and mini envelopes, as well as the paper-covered bins above and the brightly coloured, embossed tea canisters below.

I always love the blue and white colour palette used in Japanese design and there were these lovely little cups for sale (used for sake or soba), as well as the patterned tenegui fabrics below, of which I became a bit of an addict when I lived in Tokyo!

The simplicity of Japanese design was even applied to the way that items were displayed. Everyday home items were showcased as museum pieces, such as these woven soba utensils below.

A beautifully simple tray and bowl are displayed so dramatically and lit from above using stark white light. This silver lunch box sits next to its blue and white furoshiki fabric wrapping.

There is also a large area to relax on sofas and armchairs. Drink a calming cup of green tea bought from the counter at the front, and take in your calm surroundings.

The work of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto is also on show. On the ground floor he has created an exhibition that uses everyday items. By placing small-scale human figures next to these items, they suddenly change context and become architectural spaces. He believes that the inspiration for architecture can come from anywhere, whether it's a kitchen sponge ('People live in nooks and crannies') or a pile of staples ('A house like bookshelves? Or bookshelves like a house?'). A plastic fruit bag ('A transparent cave') or a circuit board ('Complex, or simple?'). Can you spot the mini white human figures on each piece?

Downstairs in the gallery space, Fujimoto has an exhibition of his ongoing projects and works he is known for but also current experiments for the future.

Many of his forms are very organic and you feel that his thought process is ongoing as he builds his pieces in paper and card. Many of his pieces consider the social interaction of humans and show constructions on many different levels where architecture and nature blend together.