3.10.2013

-"Reincarnation Project" by Ayako Morimoto / CHIEL -

I was so happy when she said “Yes.” with a light smile on her face to my proposal of exhibition work at Rincane. The first and the last chance of working together to be held at my place as I had already announced her my plan of closing the shop in following months. She quietly mentioned the theme of the exhibition as if it had been already nurtured in her mind for a long time before our conversation. It was; “Reincarnation,” the theme she would be creating a series of accessories based on, and the word landed on my heart with a genuine sense of promise contract we had been brought together to the town of Ikoma, Nara, to meet each other. I named my tearoom “Rincane” after the sound of the word “Reincarnation” hoping for the happy circulation of good times and creative inspirations incarnated among the people who come to the place. 3 years and 10 months had been past during which I met and viewed, from the tiny space of kitchen inside the tearoom, the people’s lives come and go drawing beautiful circles of spiritual growth.



“Reincarnation” Exhibition was held from January 8th to the end of the month in 2013.
Ayako lyrically expressed her interpretation of the word. One is the circle of life in nature; the moment of Camellia seed cracking its hard shell to come out to the outer world.(photo.no.1), and the withering twig holding a piece of new life for the coral made red fruit(photo no.2). Other is in the series of "Hoop." (photo no.3 ) She placed the imagery of “rondo dance” in the formation of rings bound together depicting how people’s life meet and cross over each other, and get apart to meet the next dance partner.


Photo no.1"Seed Pearl Necklace"

Photo no.2"Twig Coral Necklace"




photo no.3 "Hoop Bracelet"
                                                                       


Ayako has extensive knowledge about European mythology and that is where her intuition often comes from. Through her works she becomes a story teller to show us the scenic retrospections of our ancestors' times. She inherited the many of books and study materials from her master's old studio where she had learned metal casting. She never went to a school to become an artist. She just happened to come across her master’s old company’s shop one day in Osaka, took a peek curiously through the door, and ended up to work at the studio as the only one assistant for him. 10 years later the old man gave her a ring, saying “Ayako, you will succeed my company. I will retire.”

 
-Theme Visual designed by Ayako Morimoto (CHIEL)-

Ayako still continues the conversation with her studio master by reading these books. She loves finding out the secret of the writing notes on the pages taken by her co-workers at the old studio. The messages are reprinted in her new works of accessories and objects. It seems that incarnation of her imaginative works does not take place on her own individual thoughts. I would call it "re-incarnating" process that forms her works mirroring the plains of different times and stories.



2013年の暮れに近いある日、CHIELの森本綾子さんにリンカネでのアクセサリー展示をどきどきしながらお願いした日。快諾を頂いてすぐにリンカネに来て下さっての初打ち合わせ。その時にまるでずっと前から決まっていたかの様に、綾子さんの口からそっと告げられたプロジェクトのテーマは「リンカネーション」でした。「輪廻」「蘇生」の意味を持つをの言葉の音から私は「リンカネ」の名前をつけました。この場所に来てくれる人達に、心地よい時間と、創造的なインスピレーションの輪が流れる様にという想いを込めて。綾子さんは、ご自身の頭の中の思考を作品に映す、というよりも、大きな歴史の潮流の一幕だったり、自分より先に人生を生き切った人たちのストーリーだったり、もの言わぬ植物の息づかいだったり、そういった様々なパラダイムに書物やイメージを通じてリンクし、受け取ったメッセージをどんどん形にする様なそんな方に思えました。
『リンカネーション展』<2013年1月8日~31日>では、それは、山茶花の固い種がその殻を割って地上に落ちる瞬間であり(photo no.1)、枯れた小枝がまた静かに新しい生命を赤い実に宿す姿であり(photo no.2)、そして、まるでロンドが繰り返すリズムの様に、人の人生が繋がり、離れ、また寄り沿うそんな甘美な情景を映した輪(フープ)のダンスであり(photo no.3)・・・・・・想像もしていなかったストーリーを、まるで屋根裏部屋に見つけた古い書物を読み解く様な感覚で、展開して下さったのです。
実際、CHIELを立ち上げるまでの経緯として、森本さんは「たまたま」出逢った大阪のアクセサリーメーカー会社の社長さんを恩師として十数年間、たった1人の製作助手として傍らで技術を習得し、商業の展開をも感覚的に身につけ、ある日ひょっこりと一本の電話で前社長に「会社を任されてしまった」ひと。その以前から、ヨーロッパの神話や言語、古い書物やアートブックにインスピレーションを見出して、とにかく膨大に読み、視ることで、その『ストーリーテラー』としての創作スタイルが生まれたかの様に思います。そして今や「ストーリー」の方から彼女へ、語りと創作を促してラブコールを送っているのでは、とそんな事をふと感じたのでした。


Other Pictures of "Reincarnation" Accessories:

From Left: "Seed Pearl Pierce" "Hoop Pierce"  "Holly Pierce"

From Left: "Flosculus Necklace" "Blossom Pierce"  "Sylphus Pierce"

From Left: "Flesculus Pierce"  "Apatite Necklace"  "Ondine Pierce"