[WASHI HOUSE -] – I met Hiro san @hiroyoshikawa_art from @washihouse at a friend’s studio earlier this year, and we discussed the possibility of having a collaboration and maybe starting with a mural at their studio/shop Washi House in Sai Ying Pun. Hiro san proceeded to explain the story behind his premium denim brand- inspired by the washi material on the SHOJI (Japanese sliding door) in his home and decided to use washi to create a new kind of yarn – known as the NO.6 WASHI paper yarn, which took him 7 years to develop before it was ready to weave into selvedge denim fabric and another 14 years to perfect the jeans development.
Denim fabric made from washi paper, provides qualities that far exceeds normal denim fabric. It has great UV protection, temperature control , anti- bacterial, quick drying and also great memory of shape. Each pair of jeans were created with dedication, obsession with details, transcending them into a new form of art with awareness of sustainability, while honoring its heritage in modern ways.
The whole collection is divided into two series: SHIZEN – the classic denim line, and RIKISAKU – the limited premium retro wash line. 6 pairs under each line, each with its unique concept and story.
For this mural we focus on the RIKISAKU line, 6 unique stories behind each pair of jeans. I was permissioned to create my version of the story with my mural. The 7th Story, titled “THE MOMENT”.
RIKISAKU consists of 6 stories:
HANAGOROMO WASH 花衣
AWAYUKI WASH 淡雪
TSUKUYO WASH 月夜
SEIRAN WASH 青嵐
IZAYOI WASH 十六夜
AKATSUKI WASH 曉
Having read the story behind each design, I decided to connect them into one story. “The Moment” is the title of the mural, since each existing story describes a specific moment in nature, I aim to depict a specific moment I found personally connected. The moment when two lovers meet, the insecurity and excitement before any physical contact are made, the sacred moment of first touch which will be eternally remembered. No matter how fierce we are on the outside, we will always be softer and more vulnerable in the face of love, which later creates a bond stronger and more gentle than any existing connection. The key part of the mural is the empty space between the two tigers, that’s the precise moment when the story takes place. Using both sides of the mural to highlight the emptiness in the middle, the silent tension, something noticeable but probably taken lightly, and precisely the essence of the concept. The silent tension, the seemingly insignificant moment turns out to be the most beautiful, memorable and significant.
Painted with two different shades of blue- echoing the brand’s colour, to create the overlapping effect. The dreamy, yet sophisticated composition echoes the mood of the first physical encounter of a relationship. Roughly measured 2000m (H) x 12,000m (W), painted over the course of 7 days.
