Highlighting Collective Movements

Quasicrystal

2019–

Quasicrystal

Photo by SAKURAGI Yoshiyuki, Courtesy of HOSOO GALLERY

​​​​Quasicrystal is an R&D project by FURUDATE Ken, an artist, engineer and musician, and HOSOO, a traditional Kyoto Nishijin textile company, focusing on the fundamental components of textiles, the woven structure. Throughout their long history, textiles have been composed of a weave structure with periodicity, like a crystalline structure. This project is an attempt to create fabric from a new perspective by actively applying mathematics and algorithms to symbolize the quasicrystal, which has a high order but no periodicity.


The project, which evolved from a 2017 R&D project between YCAM (Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media) and HOSOO, has been selected as one of the projects for the Project to Support Emerging Media Arts Creators (2019), a program hosted by the Agency of Cultural Affairs. With DOZONO Shoya, HAYAMA Tatsuki and HIRAKAWA Norimichi, who are engaged in computational expression and research activities in different fields such as design, mathematics and art, the project continues to focus on creating new meanings and values for cloth with HOSOO craftsmen. They will be passing on the concept and specialized techniques of Nishijin textiles, which have pursued beauty for 1,200 years, to the next generation.

2017

Photo by FURUYA Kazuomi, Courtesy of Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM]

FURUDATE exhibited the work Complex Order #1: moire / #2: radial / #3: flow at the exhibition Cloth Demiurgos - What is cloth to humanity? a joint research and development project with YCAM (Dec. 9, 2017–Mar. 11, 2018).

2018

FURUDATE exhibited his work Complex Order - large at the Ars Electronica Festival 2018 (Sept. 6–10).

2019

“Quasicrystal - Exploration of quasicrystalline textile expression using generative methods” for the Project to Support Emerging Media Arts Creators (Sept.–Mar., 2020).

2020

Courtesy of HOSOO GALLERY

The exhibition Quasicrystal - In search of textiles using code was held as the first phase of HOSOO STUDIES by the research division of HOSOO (Oct. 24, 2020–Mar. 10, 2021). Three collaborators from the fields of design, mathematics and art were invited to exhibit the results of their research through four residencies at the workshop.

Director’s comment

​​Traditional crafts can continue to exist over a long period of time if they continue to be innovated through the incorporation of advanced technology. Nishijin textiles in Kyoto have a history of 1,200 years, and HOSOO has been in business for 330 years. FURUDATE Ken invited experts in advanced media expression to work with Hosoo's craftsmen on a series of prototypes. What does it take to become cloth? While continuing to respond to this question, a code representing the quasicrystal motif became cloth in the loom, and a tangible object was created. A weaving structure and pattern that was not possible with existing techniques emerged, and a new tradition was born. (TOMURA Asako)

FURUDATE Ken

Photo by SAKURAGI Yoshiyuki

FURUDATE Ken

Artist/Programmer/Musician

​​Born in 1981. Lives and works in Kyoto. Using minimal elements such as sine waves, pulses, dots and lines, he creates complex phenomena by highlighting their characteristics. His sound installation Pulses/Grains/Phase/Moiré won the Grand Prize in the Art Division at the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival (2019). His project The Sine Wave Orchestra was selected for the Prix Ars Electronica Honorary Mention (2004, 2019). He is a member of Dumb Type and has worked with various artists, including TAKATANI Shiro and SAKAMOTO Ryuichi.

HOSOO

HOSOO

HOSOO Co., Ltd. was founded in 1688 in the Nishijin district of Kyoto, Japan, to serve patrons from the main temples. With a history of more than 1,200 years, Nishijin textiles, a pre-dyed yarn textile, have been admired and cherished by the aristocracy, samurai class and affluent members of society. Currently, utilizing the traditional Nishijin weaving techniques used for making kimono and obi belts, demand for unique textiles with a sense of timeless design and innovation continues to expand in Japan and in overseas luxury markets.

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