Washi Futurism - Japanese Paper Craft & Local Material Culture
Washi Futurism - Japanese Paper Craft & Local Material Culture
Jonas Althaus, Martina Huynh, Satomi Minoshima, and Pauline Agustoni
2024
9789083417806Hardcover
253 pages
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Handmade Japanese paper, known as washi, has been used for centuries in everyday products and traditional architecture. Compared to Western paper, it has a high plasticity, unique texture and is surprisingly strong. To showcase these properties as well as the artisanal values behind them, the self-published bilingual book “Washi Futurism” dives into the craft’s history, current developments, and virtue for the future.
Fourteen original Sekishu Washi samples reveal their fascinating qualities, followed by testimonies of the artisans, essays by local experts, design applications and hands-on instructions.
Washi Futurism is an essential reference book for creative professionals who like to inform their choices by a material’s origin story and cultural context.
Unique Paper Samples
Behaving neither quite like regular paper, nor like textile, Sekishu Washi bears fascinating properties. Its versatility is demonstrated through fourteen high end paper samples produced by ateliers in Misumi, highlighting their specific qualities and common usages.
Interviews
In five interviews, different generations of papermakers reflect on skills, tradition, changing times, the long path of learning and what the craft means to them.
Applications
While in Japan, we were surrounded by examples of how Sekishu Washi is used in art, design and architecture. A selection of these findings are paired with practical instructions, since we very much recommend exploring this paper in a hands-on fashion.
