Object Timeline

-0001

2013

  • Work on this object began.

2014

  • We acquired this object.

2019

2024

  • You found it!

Kimono (Japan)

This is a Kimono. It was dyed by Masao Aida and carved by Isao Uchida. It is dated 2013 and we acquired it in 2014. Its medium is silk and its technique is stencil resist (katazome) on 2/2 twill weave. It is a part of the Textiles department.

Masao Aida produced this kimono as a gift for Cooper Hewitt. The lyrical design is the culmination of weeks of laborious work by Isao Uchida (who carved the stencil used in the printing), Aida and his assistants (who printed the fabric), and a seamstress (who Aida hired to sew the kimono). The color—a rich, pale purple—was selected by Aida because he believes that each person exudes their own individual color; this hue struck him as being particularly American. To produce the entire kimono, Aida and his assistants printed the fabric using the same stencil a total of 28 times.

This object was donated by Masao Aida, Isao Uchida, Yuki Ikuta and Airo Aida. It is credited Gift of Masao Aida, Isao Uchida, Airo Aida, and Yuki Ikuta.

Its dimensions are

H x W: 132.2 x 190.5 cm (52 1/16 in. x 6 ft. 3 in.)

Cite this object as

Kimono (Japan); Dyed by Masao Aida (Japanese, b. 1940); Carved by Isao Uchida (Japanese); silk; H x W: 132.2 x 190.5 cm (52 1/16 in. x 6 ft. 3 in.); Gift of Masao Aida, Isao Uchida, Airo Aida, and Yuki Ikuta; 2014-29-1

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Katagami.

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If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/51589537/ |title=Kimono (Japan) |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=23 April 2024 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>