Bamboo Art
- RaShan Lomax
- Jan 8
- 2 min read
Author: RaShan D. Lomax
Company: Cherubim Production LLC
Japan is a place that is full of culture and traditions. From the intricate designs in the kimono to the certain nuances in daily communication, it's fair to say that Japan is the land of students. It's impossible to live in a country such as this and not consistently learn something new. Everyday is a quiz in which I must practice what I learned in either daily speech or mannerisms.
Although Japan is known for pushing the boundaries in technology, they still use fax machines in much of the country. There is a unique blend of old and new which can be observed throughout the landscape of the country. At one corner you might find a temple that's been preserved and at another corner you might find a beautiful modern apartment complex. But the culture and traditions of Japan continue to be passed down regardless of the world outside the island.
A few years ago I had an idea to make a mini-doc. My wife and I drove around to a couple of museums when she proposed the idea to do my project on Take Zaiku which in english is roughly translated as bamboo art. So I began my quest to find bamboo artist. Luckily, I was able to connect with two artist in Beppu, Japan which is located in Oita prefecture and most popular for their onsens.
It was amazing to see the process of how bamboo was stripped into pieces, then carefully crafted into various items. Bags were the most common creation, but the bamboo artist in the picture whose name is Mikiko, was able to create beautifully designed products such as earrings, purses and even eating utensils. Mikiko has accomplished a lot as a bamboo artist, but inspiring and teaching the next generation is one of her biggest goals.
So much dedication and soul goes into the craft of Take Zaiku. One of the artist planned to pass on his business to his pupils as he had no children and the business has been in his family for 3 generations. The most important thing to artist such as that, was that the craft of Take Zaiku continues to get passed down to the next generation. This desire to share and pass down the knowledge of just a piece of Japanese culture was very inspiring. It became clear to me that one of the best ways to remain passionate is to remain in a state of creativity and learning.
To see more check out the link to the mini-doc about Take Zaiku below:
留言