site.btaSofia’s History Museum, Association Nakama Present The Beauty of Japan Exhibition

Sofia’s Regional Museum of History and Association Nakama present an exhibition, entitled the Beauty of Japan, said the Museum on Friday. The travelling exhibition is part of the first Spring Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria and will go on display at the Triangular Tower of Serdica exhibition hall from March 2 until March 22.

The exhibition will present the colours, traditions and uniqueness of Japan through one the most beautiful and interesting Japanese arts, “Kiri-e”. It is an ancient Japanese technique for making patterns for Japanese kimonos and other textile works. Since the middle of the 20th century it has become a popular way of expression for many Japanese artists but is virtually unknown outside Japan. In Bulgaria Kiri-e arrived in 2012 thanks to Rina Papadopolu and since then a group of practitioners have been popularizing it.

The technique involves cutting a picture from a single sheet of paper, most often black. Slowly artists began to include more colours, combining different Japanese papers.

This is the first exhibition of entirely colour works and it brings together a record high number of artists: seven from Bulgaria and 18 from Japan thanks to the Senga Art&Space Gallery in Japan. 

The exhibition will be the largest to date with over 130 works. Within its framework sensei Mayano Onodera, owner of the Senga Art& Space Gallery will present along with other practitioners of Kiri-e the art in an online lecture. Also workshops for colour Kiri-e will be held.

The exhibition which will be opened on Mach 2 is organized with the support of the Japanese Embassy in Bulgaria and the EU-Japan Fest. PP