What do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?

The exhibition was organized by the International Chodiev Foundation

About the Exhibition

The exhibition features 45 kimono with brilliant designs brought to life by the creative genius of Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003), an extraordinary artist who won international recognition through exhibitions in North America and Europe for his unconventional designs, distinctive use of color, and intense commitment to his art and craft. His revival and modernization of ‘tsujigahana’, a textile art form lost for centuries, has also assured him a special place in Japanese legacy.

Exhibition History

Throughout the years the array of kimono echoed throughout the world: the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands welcomed Kubota’s creations in 1989, Spain followed suit and in 1990, the exhibition went to France for the third time, when it was exhibited in the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. By the mid 1990s they created a sensation at the Smithsonian, Washington, USA and the Canadian Museum of Civilization: the exhibition catalogue unexpectedly became the best ever selling publication in Smithsonian history.

www.thekubotacollection.com 

“It is a great honour to have my message conveyed on the auspicious occasion of the grand opening of What do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?, an exhibition of the stunning works of Itchiku Kubota. The timing of this exhibition is of particular note, being that 2018 marks the 90th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada.
“Kimono is an important mode for Japanese to express their own aesthetic sense, and Kubota’s immeasurable creative spirit transformed traditional Japanese garments into true works of art. I wish every success to this beautiful exhibition and to the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.”

Mr. Shigenobu Kobayashi
Consul General of Japan

When East Comes West

Members Tour of Itchiku Kubota with Executive Director

Thank You to our sponsors:

Exhibition Sponsor                  

Exhibition Partner              

Preferred Accommodation Partners                          

If you are coming to Grande Prairie and need accommodations, by choosing to stay at one of these hotels it supports our exhibitions.

Destination Marketing Fund Partners                    

Media Partners