［All photographs by Masaaki Maeda］
Sojo Motegi : Japanese Senshoku-sakka(dyeing artist)* ［Official Web Site /en/］>>>
The kimono form is beautiful. The kimono is Japanese traditional culture. Many people feel and understand. But there are few chances to see a person wearing a kimono in present-day Japan.
What should be done for traditional culture to survive? Even if the time changes, the popular support which doesn't change and the tact to which change are introduced will be necessary for it.
The traditional culture estranged from popular daily life is an endangered species already. Unfortunately, the kimono culture isn't also an exception.
Senshoku-sakka(dyeing of cloth), Mr.Sojo keeps taking a modern element as well as a classic one in a kimono using a traditional technique and an original dyeing technique. I feel that Mr. Sojo who is also a ROCK musician has the energy to always make tradition evolve novel.
With the rare kind of skill of Mr. Sojo who works alone not dividing any process in the kimono production, makes the client's design image be accomplished perfectly. In this session, common worldview which Iki of the Kabuki which has started as a novel mass culture in the Edo Period and ROCK, was expressed to a kimono.
If you could find tradition in present-day Edo-Tokyo, I'm happy.
［Quotation from the work collection "SOJO"］
* Senshoku-sakka(dyeing artist)：
The craftsman who deals with all processes by himself in kimono production mainly (or, artist).
SOJO in Edo-Tokyo
茂木 蒼城：染色作家 ［オフィシャルwebサイト /jp/］>>>
着物姿は美しい。着物は日本の伝統文化だ。多くの人が感じ、理解している。だが、日本の現代風景の中に、着物姿を目にする機会は少ない。伝統文化とは、時代の変化にも揺るがない大衆の支持と、変化をも取り入れる柔軟さがあってこそ生き残るものだろう。大衆の日常から遠ざかる伝統文化は、もはや絶滅危惧種だ。残念ながら、着物文化も例外ではない。
染色作家・蒼城氏は、伝統の技法とオリジナルの染色技法を駆使し、古典に限らず現代的な要素を着物に取り入れ続けている。ロックミュージシャンでもある氏には、伝統を常に斬新に進化させていくエネルギーを感じる。また、着物制作における全ての過程を分業せずに独りで行う、氏の類まれな技能は、注文者のデザインイメージをぶれることなく貫徹させる。このセッションでは、江戸時代に奇抜な大衆文化として開花した歌舞伎（特に個性豊かな盗賊が主役の白浪五人男）の粋と、ロックとの共通する世界観を着物に表現していただいた。現代の江戸東京の中に、伝統を再発見していただけたら嬉しい。
［作品集“SOJO”より］
