‘Infinite’. This is the word Jasper Morrison uses to describe the creative potential of bamboo.
This natural material – alongside its qualities of strength, versatility, beauty – is the under the spotlight at the exhibition Bamboo, currently taking place at Jasper Morrison Shop in east London.
Dozens of works designed, crafted and woven by mainly anonymous specialist artisans from across the archipelago are on display in the show, produced in collaboration with Japan Creative, an organising promoting the values of Japanese craftsmanship, as part of London Design Festivl 2023.
A quiet curation of bamboo items spans the spectrum of the quotidian, such as clean-lined cups, intricate baskets, hanging flower vases and delicate tea whisks. A film also depicts scenes of Japanese bamboo craftsmanship – from the material being harvesting in bamboo forests in southern Japan to the intricate weaving techniques of artisans.
Bamboo has long been a key material for making, designing, crafting and building in Japan, a country which is home to as many as 600 different types of bamboo, out of an estimated total of 1,300 species globally.
For Morrison, the material is synonymous with craftsmanship and versatility. 'It’s a poor material, easily grown without any effort and yet it can be used to make incredibly well crafted and beautiful objects,' he tells Wallpaper*. 'I mostly love it for that.'
A focus on the daily use of bamboo, created using an array of processing methods, connects the pieces selected for the exhibition, which is a specially edited version of Our Bamboo: Exploring Materials by Japan Creative, which was shown during Salone del Mobile 2023.
'In Japan, there are still two main types of bamboo crafts,' says Japanese designer Wataru Kumano, creative director of Japan Creative. 'One is bamboo crafts used as tools for daily life, and the other is basket weaving called hanakago, which is used in tea ceremonies. At Japan Creative, we chose bamboo crafts as tools for daily life from a design perspective.'
Threaded through the exhibition concept is also the timeless idea that bamboo, with its craftsmanship traditionally rooted in the rhythms of nature, is still a “relevant” material for modern life.
'Most bamboo crafts were created during the agricultural off-season,' Kumano adds. 'Such seasonal pieces are almost gone; they are made all year round, and with the advent of plastic and other substitutes, items with the same functionality are now available at lower prices. However, I think there is a need to reconsider bamboo, which has a very high contribution both culturally and environmentally, to discover new charms, and to continue using it.'
Bamboo is on view until 22 September 2023
Jasper Morrison Shop
24b Kingsland Road
-
Two new books examine the art of the logo, from corporate coherence to rock excessPentagram’s new book reveals 1,000 brand marks, while the art of the band logo is laid bare in Logo Rhythm
-
Art, culture, watches & jewellery editor Hannah Silver’s gift guideFrom a Beryl Cook cushion to an offbeat diamond ring, there's something for everyone on this Wallpaper* editor's gift guide, embracing art, culture and style
-
Feldspar makes its mark on Mayfair with a festive pop-up at Corinthia HotelDevon-based bone china brand Feldspar makes its first foray into shopkeeping with a pop-up at London’s Corinthia Hotel. Ali Morris speaks with the founders and peeks inside
-
Feldspar makes its mark on Mayfair with a festive pop-up at Corinthia Hotel
Devon-based bone china brand Feldspar makes its first foray into shopkeeping with a pop-up at London’s Corinthia Hotel. Ali Morris speaks with the founders and peeks inside
-
One to Watch: EJM Studio’s stool is inspired by the humble church pewEJM Studio’s ‘Pew’ stool reimagines the traditional British church seating with a modern, eco-conscious twist
-
Minimal curves and skilled lines are the focal point of Kengo Kuma's Christmas treesKengo Kuma unveiled his two Christmas trees, each carefully designed to harmonise with their settings in two hotels he also designed: The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon and The Tokyo Edition, Ginza
-
Claesson Koivisto Rune on 30 years of their often Japan-inspired designs, charted in a new book‘Claesson Koivisto Rune: In Transit’ is a ‘round-the-world journey’ into the Swedish studio's projects. Here, the founders tell Wallpaper* about their fascination with Japan, and the concept of aimai
-
One to Watch: Family Project’s ‘furniture friends’ are elegant and humorous with lasting emotional valueFamily Project, founded by Francesco Paini, is a London-based design practice drawn to human connection, creating portraiture through furniture and injecting artful expressions into interior spaces
-
Teruhiro Yanagihara's new textile for Kvadrat boasts a rhythmic design reimagining Japanese handsewing techniques‘Ame’ designed by Teruhiro Yanagihara for Danish brand Kvadrat is its first ‘textile-to-textile’ product, made entirely of polyester recycled from fabric waste. The Japanese designer tells us more
-
Martino Gamper creates a joyful tapestry of colour, pattern and eras in an immersive showcase'I'm always interested in what is considered kitsch, what is considered contemporary, what is ugly, what is beautiful—it's a subtle line'. Martino Gamper‘ presents 'Before; After & Beyond’
-
Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture meets South Asian diasporic art in an unusual London exhibitionRajan Bijlani opens a show combining Pierre Jeanneret furniture for the Indian city of Chandigarh with works for sale by six artists of South Asian origin – in his own London townhouse
