Fibrework made of woven stainless steel wire, 'Blowing in the Wind', made by Kumai Kyoko, Japan, 1988

Fibrework made of woven stainless steel wire. It has a wave-like form made up of a flat rectangular base from which there rises and falls in a natural curve a sequence of eight panels of regularly increasing length. The ends of these panels are stitched together in a step-like fashion at the top, the warps of the panels protruding beyond their ends as bristly extensions. While it is evident that the structure consists entirely of lengths of woven stainless steel wire, the nature of the connections between the base and the eight rising panels is not immediately apparent.

Given anonymously

The use of alternative materials, which is a feature of fibre art the world over, is a characteristic of the dramatic creations of Kumai Kyoko, who weaves think threads of stainless steel wire to produce works that explore and evoke the qualities of wind, air and light. Kumai graduated from Tokyo University of Arts in 1966 and personally teaches in Niigata Prefecture in northern central Japan. She is one of the many women artists, who following the example of Takagi Toshiko (1924-87), have produced some of the most exciting and challenging fibre works of recent years. Kumai's interests are very broad-ranging. As well as producing large sculptural works, she is also involved in the making of objects of a more functional nature. These include screens, hangings and articles of clothing.

FE.3-1996