Inaugural Craft Exchange: John White and Takeyoshi Mitsui

The first half of Asialink Arts inaugural craft-focused reciprocal residency between Australia and Japan will conclude with a solo exhibition by ACT based glass artist John White at Toyama Glass Art Museum, Japan.

For a six week period John White has been based at Toyama Glass Studio, developing new works based on research into local inventions and innovations.

“This six week residency has provided me a wonderful opportunity to develop my professional art practice. In particular my interest was to research Japanese fabric dye (notably Shibori) patterns and ways to translate them into Venetian glass techniques. The work in this exhibition is an abstraction of the Shinkansen train system, representing how two cultures have travelled together. On each end of the cylinders are patters that explore these Shibori ideas and in particular two of which that make direct reference to our two country’s floral symbols.”

Referencing the Australian Wattle and the Japanese Cedar in the works, the exhibition is the culmination of hours spent in the workshop, and an immersive six weeks with fellow glass artist Takeyoshi Mitsui.

The second half of the craft exchange will take place at Canberra Glassworks, Australia.  From the 13th of June, Japanese artist Takeyoshi Mitsui will spend six weeks developing new work informed by his experience of Australian nature.

SUPPORTED BY ARTS ACT