A Large Boro Furoshiki: Undone and Remade Full Kimono
late nineteenth, early twentieth century
61" x 60", 155 cm x 152.5 cm
This boro furoshiki is a traditional wrapping/carrying/hauling cloth that was ubiquitous in old Japan--and it is also a study in the re-purposing of old textiles.
The furoshiki is made from what appears to be one, full, deconstructed cotton kimono--if you look at all sections of this boro cloth you will see the component parts which would have made up the kimono. Notable are the narrow wedge-shaped pieces which would have been the collar area of a kimono as they give a good indication of this wrapping cloth's former life.
The color of the cotton cloth is a strange and hard-to-describe grey/blue/green: quite subtle.
The entire piece is hand stitched and hand patched: its structure and its applied patches are very good and very elegant for a cloth that was meant to be a work horse.
A beautiful furoshiki and one that is meaningful for its thoughtful and complete re-use of an old kimono.
Recommended.