Today I spent the day with bamboo. I was invited down to the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana to help train their docents to tour their new exhibition of contemporary Japanese bamboo baskets, which I believe are some of the most beautiful artworks created anywhere in the world. The Japanese have over 600 species of bamboo growing on their islands and they have transformed this strong, malleable grass into many items for use in their daily life, from homes and bridges to musical instruments, umbrellas and even food. For thousands of years, they have been weaving bamboo into baskets to catch fish, collect and dry tea leaves and transport fruits and vegetables. They have also woven flower baskets out of the material and it is from this tradition that today’s artist basket makers have emerged. Only about 100 of these basket makers are working in Japan today, and what they are weaving out of strips of bamboo is truly breathtaking. One of the stars of the Modern Twist exhibition at the Bowers Museum is a scultpure entitled Sound of Wind by Uematsu Chikuyu:
My Daily Giveaway 