Minami Ishibashi

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 'Tachisusande'     
Materials: wool, cotton
Techniques: Afghan knitting 
Size: L30 x W 30 x H 120cm
Date Made: 2005
about the work

Knitting is a process where every stitch contributes to the whole.
By increasing or decreasing the number of stitches, any shape can be created.
The character of the knitted stitch makes the work elastic.
This elasticity is useful when making something to wear.
When it comes to clothes, there are many other factors to bear in mind.
They can’t be too large, too heavy, or too rigid.
With so many rules how do we set our creativity free?
If we relax the rules, and focus on following our perceptions
Then, quite suddenly, many potential qualities of the material are exposed.
From a light and soft yarn to a tough and hard thread
Using hard thread makes your weave tough.
A solid weave can be three-dimensional.
There are no limitations on how we should use colour.
Strong and vivid colours can be used together.
Or we can use only subtlest of white tones.
The size of the work can be limitless.
Provided the work is interesting, no matter how big or how heavy, everything is fine.
Removing limitations about shape, material, colour or size is a real challenge.
What matters most then, is the theme of the work.
Searching for that theme becomes an important task.
You always have to look for it in order to find it.
Sometimes you’ll find it within the quality of the materials, or the techniques you use.
You might just as easily find it in a flower in a field, a pebble in the road or an advertisement poster in a town.
You might just as easily find it somewhere more abstract: in yourself.