2024/03/12

Kawashima Selkon Textiles, Milan Design Week 2024

Unveiling one hundred variations of black textiles,
each imbued with creativity and craftsmanship, in an endless realm of black

Kawashima Selkon Textiles (Headquarters: Sakyo‐ku,Kyoto; President: Akira Mitsuoka) will be exhibiting at
the world's largest design event, Milan Design Week,
in Milan, Italy, from Tuesday, April 16 to Sunday, April
21, 2024.
For over a century, Kawashima Selkon Textiles has
been committed to the preservation andadvancement of traditional and modern techniques
and to the pursuit of pushing the boundaries ofpossibilities in weaving. In this exhibition, "A HundredBlack," Kawashima Selkon Textiles visualizes thiscommitment through "one hundred variations ofexclusively black textiles."Since its establishment in 1843, Kawashima Selkon
Textiles has been dedicated to exploring new textile
possibilities by venturing into interior fabrics,
integrating a diverse range of looms, and embracing
new materials. Since 2019, the company has been
unveiling new creations at Milan Design Week, andthen gathering firsthand feedback from visitors
worldwide to inspire and drive future initiatives. Thisyear marks Kawashima Selkon Textiles’ fourthappearance at the event. With lighting designer, Izumi
Okayasu, returning as art director for the second year,
the installation, "A Hundred Black", showcases thelimitless potential of textiles.
In this collection, one hundred variations of black

textiles are introduced. While Nishijin‐ori textiles arecelebrated for their vibrant and opulent patterns,
intricately portrayed using numerous materials ofdiverse colors, this exhibition daringly limits one of
the crucial elements of Nishijin‐ori, the "color," tosolely "black," focusing on the creative use of weaving
techniques and woven patterns. Combining
traditional techniques, preserved since its
establishment, with new technology, acquired
through the quest for innovation, Kawashima Selkon
Textiles has crafted one hundred variations of black
textiles, each showcasing a distinct expression.
The one hundred variations of black textiles represent
Kawashima Selkon Textiles’ ongoing exploration of
the possibilities of fabric, rooted in the Kyoto Nishijin
textile industry, by blending traditional Nishijintechniques with modern technology. Lighting expert,Izumi Okayasu, skillfully curates the space exclusively
adorned with black fabrics. This collaboration
between Kawashima Selkon Textiles and Izumi
Okayasu is a spectacle to look forward to.

Exhibition Overview
Title : A Hundred Black
Dates : April 16 (Tue) ‐ April 21 (Sun)
Venue : Superstudio Più
Event Website:
https://www.kawashimaselkon.co.jp/event/milan2024/

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Installation: A Hundred Black / Izumi Okayasu
One hundred variations of black textiles will be exhibited in a black, unembellished space.
Delve into the miscellaneous, creative interpretations of black, crafted by Kawashima Selkon Textiles, each uniquelyperceptible within the boundless realm of black.

New Creations: One Hundred Black Textiles
Techniques x Woven Patterns
A textile consists of three components: the material, the weaving technique, and the woven pattern. The
quintessence of textile production lies in the art of combining and harmonizing these elements to craft a diverse
range of textiles. Nishijin‐ori textiles, in particular, are renowned for the intricate portrayal of vibrant and opulent
patterns, meticulously crafted using numerous materials of varying colors and thicknesses. These designs oftenfeature colorful threads incorporating gold, silver, or the use of shells to add a lucent touch. For Milan Design
Week 2024, a crucial element contributing to the beauty of textiles, “color”, has been daringly limited to solely“black”, intensively drawing on techniques and woven patterns to craft a collection of one hundred unique black
textiles.
The Color Black in Japan
In Japan, there is a rich tapestry of words to describe the color black, such as Kurosumi [black ink], Shikkoku [jetblack lacquer], Nuregarasu [wet, black wings of a crow], Nibi [dull, dark gray], and Roiro [wet, black lacquer]. In
traditional, ceremonial Japanese attire, the color black is considered to be "more beautiful, the deeper and richer
it is." Black holds a special significance in Japanese culture, and Japanese people have long been in pursuit ofbeautiful black hues.
In "A Hundred Black," Kawashima Selkon Textiles draws together the Japanese reverence for the color black, theboundless potential of the color, and the company’s belief in the possibilities of textiles. After close to a thousand
prototypes, Kawashima Selkon Textiles has completed its collection of one hundred variations of unique blacktextiles.

2/3Art Director: Izumi Okayasu
Message“Challenged by the theme of crafting one hundred variations of black textiles, using diverse combinationsof technology and techniques, and all exclusively in black, the production team, including Kawashima
Selkon Textiles designers, produced far more than the final one hundred large‐scale textiles. In thisexhibition, we invite our visitors to explore not only the meticulously crafted one hundred variations ofblack textiles, but also the versatility, adaptability, and precision of the techniques and technology
shaped by Kawashima Selkon Textiles’ company ethos, nurtured over a 180‐year history. We hope ourvisitors leave with a lasting impression of black, and a memory of the diverse technology and techniques
embodied by Kawashima Selkon Textiles.”Lighting Designer / Born 1972 in Kanagawa Prefecture / President of Izumi Okayasu Lighting
Design Office
Involved in all aspects of lighting design, including lighting planning for architectural andcommercial spaces, lighting fixture design and installations, both domestically andinternationally. Over the years, has worked on lighting plans for projects such as Jun Aoki’s“White Church”, Toyo Ito’s “Generative Order – Toyo Ito Exhibition”, Kengo Kuma’s “Asakusa
Culture and Tourist Information Center”, Riken Yamamoto’s “Namics Techno Core” and has
handled numerous installations at exhibitions such as Milan Salone.

Exhibition Overview
Title: A Hundred Black

Opening Hours: April 16 (Tue) ‐ April 21 (Sun), 2024 11:00 ‐ 21:00 (open until 18:00 on April 21)

Venue: Superstudio PiùPress Preview April 15 (Mon) 15:00 ‐ 20:00
https://www.superstudioevents.com/

Address : Via Tortona,2720144 Milano

MAP

Exhibition Area: Approx. 140 ㎡

Art Direction: Izumi Okayasu (Izumi Okayasu Lighting Design)

Event Website: https://www.kawashimaselkon.co.jp/event/milan2024/

Kawashima Selkon Textiles
Established in Kyoto in 1843, this textile manufacturer has its 181 year history. The company’s fabrics have been highly
praised for their quality, having supplied textiles to the Meiji Palace in the past, and to the Kyoto State Guest House as
well as numerous luxury hotels in recent years. Kawashima Selkon Textiles combines traditional handweaving
techniques with modern technology such as machine‐weaving, and is committed to the inheritance of cultural heritage
and technological innovation that connects to the future. In 2019, the “Weaver’s Quest” was launched to challenge the“impossible” and kickstart the pursuit for new expressions and possibilities, aiming for the evolution and developmentof textiles. The company’s headquarters in Kyoto also houses a textile manufacturing plant that offers integrated
production services, from planning and design to dyeing and weaving, the Kawashima Textile Museum, which preserves
works of significant historical importance, and the Kawashima Textile School, where traditional weaving techniques aretaught to the next generation. Kawashima Selkon Textiles strives to serve as a hub for the inheritance, development,and promotion of textile culture.
Websitehttps://www.kawashimaselkon.co.jp

Instagram@kawashimaselkon_textiles

Facebook@kawashima1843

YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/c/kawashima1843

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