We are pleased to announce an exhibition Thresh/hold by Maternal Mitochodria on January 27 (Saturday) & 28 (Sun), as a result of their activity during thier stay at Studio Kura.

“Maternal Mitochodria” is a mother/daughter artistic collaborative team by Miriam Sagan and Isabel Winson-Sagan.

Maternal Mitochodria are currently focused on a site specific installation of suminagashi and text. We creating both the marbled paper and the poetry at the same time. Site specificity will be enhanced by the use of local water—from well, reservoir, watershed, etc.—in the suminagashi. This is part of the ancient Japanese art which we look forward to utilizing. We are also interested in adding embroidery to the pieces, following the flow of ink.

Subject matter will derive from the time, place, and from the ecology of the terrain. Mother/daughter collaborations are rare, although sons have often worked with fathers in the crafts and the arts. We share an interest in “mapping,” particularly as suminagashi can look like a topo map. Our project is a cross generational multimedia feminist derived project.

Here are some words from the artists themselves.

To come to Japan, we had to cross many thresholds, physical, emotional, and spiritual. A threshold is not just a boundary, but a way of collecting, gathering, and storing. This also refers to the ties between us as mother and daughter, and references local shrine and temple decorations. We’re using traditional materials–knitting and suminagashi–along with poetry that derives from the linked Japanese form of renga. The poetry asks a series of questions about our experience—maybe without answers—but worth asking.

Maternal Mitochodria (Miriam Sagan and Isabel Winson-Sagan)
“Thresh/hold”
Date: January 27 (Saturday), 28 (Sunday), 11:00 to 18:00, free entrance
* We will hold an exhibition opening party and an artist talk on 27th (Sat), starting at 15:30.
* The exhibitions by other current residence artists will be also held on the same dates.