“The red of the Crimson rake has deteriorated and the flowers and green have faded a little.”

This work was related to the work which was made by Hiroko Kato*.
I saw her knitting at THE NATIONAL HANSEN’S DISEASE MUSEUM in 2019.
Her work is unique in the museum because it is too professional.

In my eyes, it looks like the use of colour is a person who has received some kind of professional education.
But unfortunately there is no information, only title of work and her name.

Therefore I started to research about herself and her work independently and eventually met the artist herself.

In the process of research, I discovered that Hiroko’s knitting is very close to a work of art, and that her approach to work is also that of an artist.
I wondered if it would be possible for me to weave a new path to encounter Hiroko’s work by creating this work.

The reason for this idea stems from the following situation.

　・The exhibition in THE NATIONAL HANSEN’S DISEASE MUSEUM, a facility with a very strong meaning.
　・The captions only mention the title of the work and the name of the artist.

By these two points, her work will appear to the public not as a work of art but as an object made by Leprosy recoverers.
That is not a mistake. But would it be wrong to say that not enough?
As an artist, I would like to pay my respects to her work and herself, and to show this attitude in my artistic act as an artist.

If we say that “Art moves people’s minds”, Hiroko’s knitting will be art by this project. Because at least my heart was moved.
The above is achieved by my own production of this work, and through the presentation of the exhibition**,
I weave a new path of encounter that leads to her work.

　　
*You can find out more about Hiroko Kato by doing an internet search on the title of my work without a production year.
**Still looking for an opportunity to exhibit the work outdoors like a sketch. It is desirable to realize it by existing art exhibition planning.