INDIGO DYERS 藍染作家のご紹介 *作品は藍屋敷おくむらにてお買い求めいただけす。
TOSHIHARU FURUSHO 古庄紀治
Born in Tokushima in 1947, he is a 6th generation Indigo dyer. After graduating university, he became an apprentice of his father and predecessor, Riichiro Furusho, and his career started as an Indigo dyer. Riichiro never used chemicals even once, and Noriharu took this advice from his father to heart and used only organic dye products, sticking to natural Indigo, as per the environment he grew up in. In 1998 he was awarded the ‘Contemporary Master Craftsman’ of the year from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, just as his father had been. He established success as the leading Indigo dyer both in name and in reality. His chusen(注染) dyeing technique with indigo is designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties.
Noriharu Furusho is currently the chairman of Tokushima Prefecture Indigo Ai hemp dye research group. He not only donates money to develop Indigo Ai dye, but he also contributes to society by teaching at Komatsushima-nishi high school as a life and culture teacher.
His personality is warm, but he also has the soul of a craftsman. He has in-depth experience with Indigo Ai, and he feels he can speak to the silent Ai-plant and through this, make amazing dye. By persisting with dye work patiently and repeatedly, he can produce a masterpiece. He has the aura of a contemporary master craftsman. Great Big Story(Documentary)
1947年生まれ、徳島県出身。紺屋古庄六代目。大学卒業後、先代の古庄理一郎氏の見習いとして紺屋職人としての経歴をスタート。理一郎氏が化学染料を一切使わない昔ながらの天然藍染めにこだわり続け、そんな一徹な父親の背中をみて育った紀治氏は、化学染料を一切使わないのが当たり前だという環境で、藍に接する。1998年には、理一郎氏と同じく、厚生労働省より国選定卓越技能章「現代の名工」として表彰され名実ともに、藍染めの第一人者として地位を確立。2018年より徳島県指定無形文化財保持者となる。
現在、徳島県藍染研究会の会長を務め、藍染めの発展に寄与するだけではなく、藍染めという徳島ならではの伝統を通じ、小松島西高校にて生活文化科講師を務め、藍染を教えるなど地域貢献活動を続けている。
温和な人柄の中に、確固たる職人魂をもった人物で、長年培った経験で、物言わない「藍」の声を聞くことで、良い染料を作り出し、根気のいる染め作業を、何度となく続けることで、ようやくひとつの染物が完成する。その染め姿には、「現代の名工」としての風格が漂っている。
SHIRO HARADA 原田史郎
Born in Naruto-city, Tokushima, in 1954. Aiming to become an artist, he moved to Tokyo, but returned to his hometown for a job and started working at a factory that produced vat-reduced dye. That was his first encounter with Indigo dye. At the same time, he started researching Natural Indigo Ai, fermented with wood ash lye. It's hard to believe his is the work of ‘Ai’. He manipulates the shades and colors of light and dark Indigo and creates his work on white cloth instead of a canvas, using Indigo dye instead of paint. His technique is ‘Katazome’ which involves using paste on the cloth to create patterns where the dye doesn’t soak in. Another technique he uses is called ‘Tsutsugaki’.
He arranges modern patterns in a traditional style, and his foundation is traditional indigo, which he has adjusted to suit modern life, creating new products all the time. He is not just dyeing cloth, he is also contributing to society via his Indigo works.
He teaches both the elderly and the young, from elementary school to high school. He does this both privately in workshops and publicly in schools. He teaches dyeing and tries to reach everyone with the charm of “real indigo” to revitalize the local area. He uses energy from his relationships and puts it back into his work. Shiro Harada’s work has a real energy that we can feel.
1954年生まれ、徳島県鳴門市出身。絵描きを目指し上京、Uターン就職した先が、還元建ての染物工場に務めたのが、藍染めを始めるきっかけとなる。その仕事のかたわら、独自で天然藍木灰汁発酵建てを研究。藍だけで、ここまで表現できるのかと思うほど、自由に藍の濃淡を操り、キャンバスが白い布に、絵の具が藍にかわり、絵画的な藍染めを生み出す。
また、のりを置き、藍に染まらない部分で表現する型染めや、筒書描きという藍染技法なども得意とする。
伝統的な柄をも現代風にアレンジし、従来の伝統を基礎とし、一層、練磨し今日の生活に即した、新しいものを常に創造。藍を染めるだけでなく、藍を通じて、地域にも積極的に貢献。年配の方々への藍染教室にとどまらず、小学生から高校まで市内の学校に、藍染を教え、“本物の藍”の魅力を伝えるだけでなく、藍を通じた地域の活性化に尽力。ここで得た、人と人との繋がりやエネルギーを更に、それを藍染作品へ還元。原田史郎にかかると、藍にエネルギーがあるのを感じられる。
CHIAKI MURAKAMI 村上千晶
Born in Tokushima in 1962. Chiaki Murakami entered the world of Indigo Ai dye at age 22, and then studied under Noriharu Furusho and Junkichi Sumitomo, for 9 years at each studio. In 2001 she established ‘Awa Aizome Koubou’ a studio for Indigo Ai dye. She does it the old-fashioned way, without chemicals. She won’t compromise her vow to use real Indigo Ai.
Despite this stubborn streak, her works are very feminine. With the wisdom of her predecessors, she matches contemporary style design with traditional styles well, and now she is an Indigo Dye Artist getting much attention.
Even outside of Tokushima, in Tokyo she has a name. A lot of people from the media interview her and she regularly holds exhibitions in Tokyo. With her recent achievements, her talent goes beyond that of a mere Indigo artist, and she is acknowledged as a designer using Indigo dye. She has a lot of passion for her work, is very detailed, and never stays in one place very long, creating many new works each year. Her positivity makes her a charming artist.
1962年生まれ、徳島県出身。22歳の頃より藍染の世界に入り、古庄紀治さん、住友順吉さんの工房で各9年ずつ学び、2001年に「阿波藍染工房」を立ち上げ独立。昔ながらの科学薬品を使用しない、天然の本藍染めに妥協を許さないその姿勢は、女性らしからぬ頑固さをもつ一方で、その作品は女性らしいやさしい風合いをかもしだしている。先人の知恵を培った伝統の中に、現代風のデザイン性をうまくマッチさせ、今、注目の藍染作家である。徳島県内だけでなく、東京でもその知名度を上げ、各媒体にとりあげらるのはもちろんのこと、都内でも作品の展示会などを定期的におこなっている。近年のその活躍は、藍染作家という枠を超え、本藍染めを使ったデザイナーとして認知されている。また、作品に対する熱い情熱をもち、細部までこだわる一方、一箇所にとどまることをせず、毎年新しい作品を数多く生み出し、常に前進しようとするその姿勢は、人間的にも魅力を持ち合わせた作家である。
