Marubeni Gallery Opening Exhibition IV features textile design, which is one of the three pillars of the Marubeni Collection. The textile design collection is currently owned by Kyoto Marubeni Co., Ltd., but its origin dates back to the era of Marubeni Shoten, Ltd. (hereafter Marubeni Shoten), the predecessor of Marubeni Corporation, which was established through a merger of Itochu Shoten, Ltd., and Ito Chobei Shoten in 1921.
At the time, Marubeni Shoten, based in Osaka, was planning to expand into the Tokyo region, and Vice President Itoh Chuzo brought about 1000 pieces of sample fabrics for kimono to Tokyo himself to conduct market research. As a result, he became keenly aware that development of new design was crucial for doing business in Tokyo, and established a textile design study group “Akane-kai” centered around the Kyoto Branch. At the study group, about 70 artists from different fields, such as Takeuchi Seiho, Fujishima Takeji, and Asakura Fumio, were asked to present their original designs each year, which were utilized as patterns for new kimonos, obis and other textiles.
Original and unique works by designers, Japanese and Western-style painters, sculptors, lacquerware artists, and others especially selected from the collection are divided into two parts which are exhibited separately in the first and second periods of the exhibition. Several designs were commissioned to contemporary master craftsmen and made into actual kimonos and obis, so that visitors will have a chance of seeing how the designs are put to practical use.
As these designs are for making textiles, they are seldom shown to the public, therefore I hope that many people will take advantage of this occasion to appreciate the rarely seen works.