May is a month of dazzling early summer sunlight. Plants grow vigorously in the refreshing air, and the green of the fields and mountains changes vividly with each passing day. In this season when the breath of nature is felt most vividly, let's enjoy dyeing and weaving that captures the energy of the plants that overflow the fields and mountains in colors that are unique to this time of year.

[ Setagaya] Dyeing and Weaving Workshop - Cherry Blossoms and Spring Grasses -

Spring plants such as wild peas, mugwort, and wild carrots thrive in the fields in May. After overcoming winter, they sprout in the spring and, growing vibrantly in the bright light and wind of early summer, take on the "colors of the field" that can only be enjoyed at this time of year. Enjoy the colors of the spring plants, which give a sense of the vitality of the plants. Due to popular demand, we will also be holding an additional cherry blossom workshop in the first half of May. Don't miss out on the elegant colors of the cherry blossoms, which evoke the vestiges of spring's passing.

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[Setagaya] Weaving My Colors - A 3-month course to learn Shimura's dyeing and weaving philosophy

This course allows you to choose 18 days out of a designated three-month period to learn the basics and philosophy of Shimura dyeing and weaving through loom preparation, dyeing and weaving, and lectures. It is recommended for those who want to start weaving in earnest, or who want to deepen their self-expression through time spent facing their creations.

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[ Setagaya] - Cherry blossoms and spring grass - Wear the colors of the plants - 2-day stole weaving course

This two-day course uses colored warp threads to weave a 180cm stole. Dyeing is not included, but you are free to weave colored threads dyed in other courses or threads provided at the venue. This course is recommended for those who are accustomed to weaving and those who want to make wearable items.

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Learning Session "Words - Connected by Colors"
2024 Online Seminar "Deepening Understanding of Folk Crafts"
[12th] Marcel Mauss's "The Gift" (Iwanami Bunko)

This online seminar will use Marcel Mauss's (1872-1950) classic work, The Gift (Iwanami Bunko). Mauss was a French sociologist and anthropologist who had a profound influence on the fields of sociology, anthropology, and ethnology. He also had a major influence on Taro Okamoto during his time in Paris before the war.
In "The Gift," Mauss clarified that although gift-giving in primitive societies appears to be a free act on the surface, it is accompanied by an obligation to give in return, and that social bonds are strengthened through a cycle of giving, receiving, and reciprocation. He also viewed gift-giving as an act in which intangible values such as honor, prestige, and power are exchanged, rather than simply an exchange of goods.
I feel that the economic perspective is weak in folk art thought, but "Gift Theory," which sheds light on economic and social mechanisms that differ from capitalism, offers great insights when considering the future economic environment for crafts. We look forward to your participation.

Lecturer: Masashi Shimura (CEO of Atelier Shimura)
Date and Time: Saturday, March 15th, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (This will be the main lecture portion)
Participation fee: 1,650 yen (tax included)

*Lecture time may be extended depending on the content.

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