Owl Festival

This is one item in the “ezo-e” series of katazome prints by Okamura, who discovered the archetype of Japanese culture in the culture of the Ainu people. The title ”Owl Festival” is based the legend of deities being dispatched to the human world in the shape of owls, and refers to a ceremony that is held in order to return them to the realm of gods. During his teenage years, Okamura was committed to Muneyoshi Yanagi’s folk crafts movement, and after studying the katazome technique under dyer Keisuke Serizawa, he spent several years doing field research into dyeing techniques in countries across Asia. The knowledge he accumulated this way, Okamura eventually developed into his own theory of ceremonies and festival equipment, decoration and dresses as the origin of all industrial arts. The series of katazome prints that this piece belongs to is to be considered as a compilation of Okamura’s endeavors revolving around techniques and concepts of industrial arts.