21. January 2015 · Comments Off on Sri: A Gallery of Japanese Rural Textiles · Categories: Fabulous textiles, Gallery exhibit, Sakiori, Uncategorized · Tags: , , , ,

 

Sri Gallery, Brooklyn, NY I Western Sakiori

Sri is a gallery in Brooklyn, NY specializing in antique rural Japanese textiles.  It was founded in 2001 by owner Stephen Szczepanek to share and explore his interest in these and other Asian types of cloth.

Sri presents a unique opportunity for textile enthusiasts in the U.S. to see, touch and purchase examples of many different weaving and dyeing techniques.  It is open by appointment only and, while not difficult to find, you will need to get directions from their website, as it is tucked away in a residential neighborhood.  They also have a blog and a weekly email/Facebook posting of new items listed for sale in the online shop.

Follow me on my stroll through the gallery in November of last year…

Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

 

Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

Tabi, Sri Galley I Western Sakiori

Stephen has been kind enough to allow me to study and photograph sakiori garments during my visits for my research purposes (in planning a visit, please be aware that photographing is not generally allowed in the gallery).  Seeing and comparing so many different pieces has greatly helped my understanding of both the weaving and sewing processes involved.

Sakiori sodenashi, Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

For example, seams can vary from the roughhewn example in the above sodenashi to the more sophisticated overlapped seam in the one below:

Sakiori, Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

Sleeves, when present, can be made from sakiori or just pieces of cotton cloth, as above.

Sakiori apron, Sri Gallery I Western Sakiori

A sakiori apron. Sri Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Sri is well worth a visit!  Although there is an online shop, there are many more items available in the gallery than Stephen can post online.  If you are an enthusiast of rural Japanese textiles, there is no better place to see them in the U.S.