Ka-Ei

Collector’s Gallery

Within a structure of black and gray, white quietly opens into light.
“Ka-Ei” is inspired not by shadow itself, but by the hazy, white-gray atmosphere of distant scenery.

In the airy structure of leno weave, layers of black, gray, and white rise softly to the surface.
Up close, the yarns speak to one another; from a distance, light slips through, and the expression changes with your gaze.

About the Work

Black, gray, and white threads meet gently within the leno weave, forming quiet layers of lines in the cloth. The work does not end in the depth of black, but gradually opens toward brightness. That transition lies at the center of this piece.

When worn, it lets wind pass through and holds light. In daily life, it stays close as a soft presence. It does not speak too loudly, yet it keeps a clear contour of its own.

Materials & Technique

• Type: Silk leno-weave textile
• Material: 100% silk
• Technique: Leno weave
• Warp: Silk threads in black and gray
• Weft: Silk filament yarn / high-twist silk / hand-spun mawata silk (Koishimaru, several kinds) / kibiso silk (white) / threads drawn from 1,000 cocoons (white and black)
• Dimensions: Approx. 85 × 185 cm
• Year: 2025
• Made in: Ichikawamisato, Yamanashi, Japan

A textile where the quiet light of white overlaps with the contour of black lines, carrying both transparency and density.

Background

The warp is black and gray. In the weft, silk filament yarn, high-twist silk, and hand-spun mawata silk in different thicknesses are joined by threads drawn from 1,000 cocoons in both black and white. While adding strength deep within the density of the cloth, the whole composition is arranged so that it gradually opens toward light.

For the white, kibiso silk from the outer layer of the cocoon is also used. Unlike a soft sheen, it brings a white with a slight rawness. As black lines run across it, a quiet contour begins to rise within the cloth.

Leno weave allows air to pass between the threads, holding light and creating transparency and depth. In “Ka-Ei,” white opens quietly within that structure, and depending on the viewing distance and the angle of light, its expression changes slowly like a landscape.

Availability, price, and opportunities to view the work in person can be shared upon request. Even after the work has found its home, this page will remain as part of the yamamayu record.