手仕事の営み Ⅱ

Work of our hands vol. 02

Sat 1st Sep. to Mon 17th Sep. 2018 / Open 11:00 – 18:00
Open every day during the exhibition

Masanori Okabe
Presenting at the gallery on: 1st to 9th Sep.
Accessories of Beads: gift from ancient age

Sissi Castellano
Tazuko Saitoh
Presenting at the gallery on:
Sissi Castellano: 1 and 2nd Sep.
Tazuko Saitoh: 1st to 3rd Sep.
“Mappa (pl. Mappe): Just a small piece of cloth”, a series of squared multi-purpose cloths and hand woven textile works + momogusa sarong

Mappe by Sissi
Letter from Sissi
A. North Africa / Glass Beads / A.D. 1000
B. Sassanid Persia / mozaic Glass Beads / A.D. 200 to 600
C. Sassanid Persia / mozaic Glass Beads / A.D. 200 to 600
D. Roman period / Gold Sandwich Beads / B.C.200 to 100
E. Roman period / Patina Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
F. Roman period / Patina Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
G. Indus Valley Civilization / Etched Carnerian Beads / B.C.2500 to A.D.1000
H. Phoenician / Wound glass with stratified eyes
I. West Asia / Agate beads / B.C.1000 to 500
J. West Asia / Agate eye beads / B.C.2000 to 1000
K. Roman period / Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
L. West Asia / Crystal beads / A.D.1000
M. Roman period / Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
N. Islamic / Glass mosaic Beads / A.D.1000
O. Roman period / Gold Sandwich Beads / B.C.200 to 100
P. Roman period / Roman Glass Melon Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
Q. Roman period / Gold Sandwich Beads / B.C.200 to 100
R. Indus Valley Civilization / Etched Carnerian Beads / B.C.2500 to A.D.1000
S. Roman period / Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
T. West Asia / Agate beads / B.C.1000 to 500
U. Indus Valley Civilization / Etched Carnerian Beads / B.C.2500 to A.D.1000
V. West Asia / Agate eye beads / B.C.2000 to 1000
W. West Asia / Glazed Crystal beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100
X. West Asia / Agate eye beads / B.C.2000 to 1000
Y. Roman period / Glass Beads / B.C.100 to A.D.100

At Gallerie Momogusa we used to present the work of Masanori Okabe during the coldest seasons. This time we are delighted to introduce his works to let you enjoy the touch of the ancient beads accessories directly on your skin. As a fruit of his times taking research, he created original hand woven strings, which can be worn daily as your own amulet. Come to find your favorite, and enjoy the history of each pieces of beads. You can also bring your Masanori’s piece for repairing.


»Masanori Okabe

Mappa is an Italian multi-purpose squared cloth. In Japan similar piece is called Furoshiki, or in Korea is called Pojyaki. Inspired from These traditional squared cloths, Sissi and Taz (Tazuko Saitoh) created their own Mappa interweaving their cross cultural experience and poetic sensations. There will be also exhibited hand woven textile products of Sissi and Taz. Applied onto Momogusa sarong, Taz’s picturesque piece of textile can be enjoyed as a multiple clothing as well as an art piece.


»Sissi Castellano and Tazuko Saitoh

Masanori Okabe

Ancient Bactria / Steatite Beads / B.C.1000 to A.D.400
Indus Valley Civilization / Etched Carnerian Beads / B.C.2500 to A.D.1000
Sasanid Persia / Small bottle with cut decoration / A.D.500 to 1000
Ancient Bactria / Steatite Beads / B.C.1000 to A.D.400

Masanori Okabe Profile
Born in Fukuoka in 1964, starting accessory making from 30s. Motivated by encountering Dzi beads, he became absolutely enthralled by beads of the ancient ages. Making accessories mainly with beads created more than thousand years ago.
He is also a life style coordinator, making a proposal relating to daily life with his wife, Miyori Numata.
Exhibitions are held all over Japan.

Masanori Okabe Exhibiting Items
In this exhibition, I wish viewers to enjoy the designs embellished on each bead. For example, circle designs are very common shown on glass beads, but actually circle signifies “eye” and the design for amulet keeping out evils. These can be shown in the exhibition, on the white steatite double-circle beads made from Indus to Bactria, and eye beads in Phoenicia, two thousand years ago.
And also, I collected specially for Momogusa customers, cross-designed Etched Carnelian and Persian mosaic beads before Christ. I hope this 4th exhibition at Galererie Momogusa would provide an enjoyable time for all visitors.

»Special order table by Masanori Okabe

Sissi Castellano and Tazuko Saitoh

When I was studying in the UK, I had to leave the student accommodation during the vacation period. I used to hop around friend’s house with my hand woven Furoshiki, a multipurpose squared cotton cloth. When it was layed on the suitcase, it became a small table, when hang, it became a simple partition. It could become a towel to dry hands, and in the case of emergency I could rapidly pack everything and go out. Even though people kindly welcomed me as a young art-student guest, sometimes I missed home and snuggled into my Furoshiki. This small piece of cloth always helped me to create my own personal space.
Nowadays my Neapolitan mother in law teases me when she spots a piece of Furoshiki in my luggage, saying, “You carry a ‘mappatella’!” In Naples people used to use ‘mappatella’(=mappa), a squared cloth like Furoshiki for wrapping food and daily utensils, which in modern times seems to be a symbol of poverty. It was slightly astonishing to know that for them Furoshiki seem to be an old-fashioned object. Even so I was often thrilled to find that many Japanese friends who live and travel abroad usually pack their baggage with Furoshiki.
In Italian language there is a way of saying “Fare fagotto” (=make a packet) which literally means to depart. Tightening up the corners of Furoshiki may actually recall us the moment of the departure. In Italy we can still find many old linens in antique markets. At home we use old linen kitchen/bath towels (and mappatelle) which were passed by family and friends. In Japanese sense it can be quite unbelievable to use old towels which were used for many years by unknown people. However thanks to the characteristics of linen and hemp fibre, they can be used repeatedly by washing and kept the cleanliness. These old linen /hemp textiles also have distinctively soft and unique textures . Simply watching the threads of these textiles we can feel the histories of the weavers and the ex-owners. Although my hand woven linens are still far too vulnerable compared to the Italian earthy heavy-duty cloth, I just would like to tweet back to these adorable textiles by creating my own version of Mappatella.

Tazuko Saitoh

Sissi Castellano

Mappa by Sissi
Mappa by Sissi
Old Mappa (Not for Sale)

Sissi Castellano Profile
Sissi Castellano is an Italian architect who has worked on weaving European linen and hemp for many years and studies the traditions of Italian countryside with particular attention to work clothes and “life style”. In 2011 she founded, with Stefano Panconesi, Casa Clementina, an old house in the mountains of northern Italy where they teach, textile techniques and natural dyeing to young people from all over the world.


Sissi Castellano Exhibition Items
Multipurpose hand-woven Mappe, in linen and ancient hemp yarns, dyed with natural colors or printed with the popular “rust” technique of central Italy.
Lady Pockets hand-woven in linen and horsehair.
Antique inspired brass and silver pins.
MICROBOOKS on Mappa, Ladys Pockets and Italian indigo textile.
Some small antique and precious object for the preparation of the table.
Some mappe of my collection (NFS).

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Tazuko Saitoh

momogusa salong taz＊momogusa / Kabe texture, “Madder”, Hand spun hemp, cotton, linen, Madder dyed

Tazuko Saitoh Profile
Hand weaver specializing bast fibre textiles such as linen and hemp. She started her research on bast fibre while studying at the MA course of The Surrey Institute of Art and Design in the UK. Her hand woven textiles were widely exhibited around Japan, UK, and Italy. She collaborated with various designers and textile companies in Europe and Japan. Currently lives and works in Rome, Italy.


Tazuko Saitoh Exhibiting Items
Mappe, (mappe-blouse, wrapping cloth), stoles, scarves, vintage mappe and length of hemp textiles.


»Talk session with photos

Events, Momogusa Cafe

Mappa in old painting
Mappa in old painting

Special order table by Masanori Okabe
Sep 1st to 9th
Masanori Okabe talks to each customer and receive orders. Please look for favorite beads and parts in the Okabe’s collection and ask him to make the original accessary. Maintenance of accessories is available either. Mini talk about ancient beads by Masanori is at 11:00.

Talk session with photos
“Mappa, and the works by Sissi and Taz”
Saturday, September 1st, from 14:00 to 15:30
Talk session host: Maki Tsuchida
Speakers: Sissi Castellano, Tazuko Saitoh, Masanobu Ando, Akiko Ando
The exhibition includes demonstration of linen thread making.

Maki Tsuchida Profile
Served as a curator at the Mie Prefectural Art Museum from 1987 until 1999. During her tenure she had been involved in the curation of exhibitions including The Art of Fete", the "Rediscovery of 20th Century Japanese Art" series, and "Yanagi Soetsu." Thereafter she has worked freelance and has engaged in the planning of exhibitions and writing essays that center on the field of craft. Her main publications include, Samayoeru Kogei-Yanagi Soetsu to Kindai(Wandering Craft-Yanagi Soetsu and Modernity) (pub. Sofukan, 2007) Resides in the Nara Prefecture.

Momogusa Cafe
Original menu for the exhibition with Sissi from Italy.
(This lunch will be limited quantity)

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