The Framework of Art Reexamined by Forms Born from Needle and Thread. Yo Ouchi Discusses "Embroidery—The World Scooped Up by the Needle" (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum's exhibition, "Embroidery—The World Scooped Up by the Needle," reexamines the framework of art through marginalized forms created with needle and thread.Summary
The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is currently hosting the Ueno Artist Project 2025 exhibition, "Embroidery—The World Scooped Up by the Needle," running until January 8, 2026. This project series, started in 2017, aims to actively introduce and promote the appeal of creators whose main activities have been in publicly submitted exhibitions. This year marks the first time the focus is exclusively on forms and expressions using thread and needle, traditionally called "embroidery." The exhibition's curator, Yo Ouchi, explained that the idea stemmed from her growing interest and questions arising from her involvement with the project, particularly after encountering the work of Yoko Kida in a previous exhibition. Kida utilizes the techniques and patterns of Tsugaru kogin-zashi (a traditional embroidery technique) to depict the Tsugaru landscape. Ouchi felt both interest and unease regarding how forms born from necessary, localized handiwork are regenerated in the context of public exhibitions, and the common phrase used to praise such creators: that they have "elevated [their work] to the realm of art."
(Source：美術手帖)