Work by Shihoko Fukumoto and Kyoko Kumai at The Victoria & Albert Museum

We are delighted that a large sculpture by Kyoto Kumai and an Indigo wall hanging by Shihoko Fukumoto are currently on display in the Toshiba Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum. Both works where generously donated by the Artists and are now in the permanent collection of the museum. 

The Victoria & Albert Museum have said of the large sculpture: 'Kumai Kyoko is an international recognised fibre artist. She created this work in remembrance of the Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 which caused over 15,000 deaths. Kumai works mainly with stainless steel wire. Here she has shaped the wire into a bundle of organic forms. These represent people's feelings about the unforgettable disaster that has a lasting impact in Japan.' 

The Fukumoto wall hanging work is made from Wisteria fabric with indigo resist-dyeing and applied gold leaf. The  Museum have said of this piece: 'Fukumoto Shihoko's work centres on Japanese traditions of indigo dyeing. This wall hanging is from her Yūsokumon ('Country Motifs') series. It was inspired by a collection of historic weaving samples intended for the clothing of court nobles. Fukumoto incorporated the wisteria crest of the Fujiwara clan into the fabric, which is itself woven from wisteria fibre.'