The ‘Hanabasami’ flower cutting scissors have become art with a specific purpose. Their creation, which nullifies the concept of scissors, seems to be a challenge for the future.
2021.03.01
LIFEUbukeya continues to offer their clients cutting tools of genuine ‘artisanal’ style that have been passed on from the Edo period. In this exhibit, Ubukeya’s Hanabasami with the specific purpose of cutting flowers were materialized into art by contemporary artist Noritaka Tatehana. What kind of values do we see when we experience a creative appearance extracted from a new perspective?
“Hanabasami cutting the clouds that represent the boundary between life and death”. How to unravel history
Normally, there are few opportunities to appreciate scissors as works of art, but what perspective has Mr. Tatehana created in his work this time? “The flower arrangement ‘Ikebana’ gives a new sense of values to the process of cutting the flower so that it can be given life again. The way of thinking about ‘life and death’ depends on the viewpoint and timeframe. With this in mind, I found that Ikebana can be very interesting as a substrate”. ‘Clouds and Hanabasami’, which usually do not meet in reality, are established as a work of art because this is yarn -as in story- that can only be spun by Ubukeya and Hanabasami. What is this meaning of ‘boundary between life and death’ that clouds have? We would like you to find your own answer from several points of view.
Clouds that make you feel the Edo landscape have a meaning of ‘boundary between life and death’. What is the hidden message in the sudden appearance of ‘Hanabasami’ that cuts that limit?
What kinds of values can be seen when something that has been used for a long time abandons its original ‘use’?
Nowadays, products which aim to be trendy and comfortable are produced non-stop. As the world becomes more comfortable, there are things that are no longer being used and are therefore obso-lete. Over time, both creators or demand for these objects will dwindle. But, is it right that only objects with a purpose remain? Surely, a time will come when there is a shift in values, and we feel this message is embedded in this work. “I’m not trying to make the past come back to the present, but merely looking at things from a different viewpoint can lead to a shift in culture. In order to find new value, I think we must take measures against the tide of current times”, says Mr. Tatehana. For the Ubukeya artisan, this work can in turn lead to new works. By looking at the new ‘Ubukeya’ icon, more people will realize that the values and perspective of every person are good and valid. There is a certain background that can only be created in crafts with specific uses, and this can be a great opportunity to discover new ‘Ubukeya’ val-ues in ‘useful beauty’.
