KATAGAMI Style: The Japanese Design the World Fell in Love With
I believe it was around 2012 when I first discovered this world.
One day, I happened to pass by the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum,
where I noticed a poster for an exhibition titled
“KATAGAMI Style: The Japanese Design the World Fell in Love With.”
Something about it caught my attention, and I decided to step inside.
This exhibition introduced not only the traditional Japanese craft of katagami (stencil design),
but also how it influenced art across different eras and genres—
from Europe and America’s modern period to contemporary art.
While I had seen traditional komon patterns before,
this was the first time I truly observed the techniques and compositions of katagami in depth.
I was deeply moved by their beauty, delicacy, and remarkable design quality.
What surprised me even more was learning that
designs from brands such as Louis Vuitton
were actually influenced by this Japanese katagami culture.
Patterns that may now seem familiar or commonplace
suddenly revealed a deeper history and meaning,
allowing me to feel the essence of Japanese aesthetics and spirit.
I still have the thick catalog book I purchased at that time.
Even now, I enjoy looking through its pages,
each image filled with intricate beauty.
From this experience,
I would like to begin sharing more about traditional patterns,
along with collage images that express their meanings.
This time, I’ve created a collage combining
the Seigaiha (Blue Ocean Waves) pattern I introduced previously
with imagery from the “KATAGAMI Style” book.
＃青海波
＃SEIGAIHA
#日本文化
＃文様文化
＃KATAGAMI文化
#japanese_pattern
#katagami_style
