Weaves of Grass

The use of bamboo in art basketry is culturally significant. The treelike grass, which grows quickly and abundantly all over Japan, is used to construct everything from rooftops and floors to kitchen utensils and musical instruments. Yet in Japan, rather than being taken for granted, this common plant is revered for its beauty, strength and suppleness.

The Japanese have a saying about the lengthy training of kagoshi: "Ten years for splitting bamboo." All one has to do is look closely at the baskets, like Monden Yuichi's "Spherical Dream" (2003) and ...

© Monden Yichi, Photograph by Kaz Tsuruta, Asian Art Museum of San Fransisco, used by permission