On May 2nd, 2026, Ippodo Gallery was delighted to welcome the artist Shigeki Fukomoto, who traveled to New York from Kyoto, to celebrate his debut New York solo exhibition at Ippodo Gallery. The master dyer shared information about his process and introduced his artworks chronicling the last thirty years of his artistry.
Fukumoto’s Guiding Principles
At the heart of Fukumoto’s decades-long practice are three guiding principle:
愚のごとく(Gu-no-gotoku): in endless folly
然りげなく(Shikari-ge naku): with passionate nonchalance
成るほどに (Naruhodo-ni): in peace
As Fukumoto explains of his creation process: "The image takes form by a process that occurs perhaps of its own volition, perhaps of yours, in which the hand moves, the heart moves. It is important that the work should both have its own robust presence, and shine with the spirit of the artist… All I ask is that my work be produced gu-no-gotoku (in endless folly), sarige-naku (with passionate nonchalance), and naruhodo-ni (in peace)."
Dye vs Painting
Fukumoto described the key difference between painting and dyeing, particularly how dyeing extends the image into the fibers of the textile rather than simply existing on the surface of a canvas:
In Japanese, 絵画 (kaiga) has multiple meanings. While my work can be understood as 絵画, a picture, it is not 絵画, a painting. The distinctions between painting and dyeing are important to understand:
Painting: Typically easel pictures where the colors come from paint. Painters squeeze the paint from a tube, apply a fixative to keep it in place, and paint with a stiff brush.
Dyeing: a “soak staining” picture. Colors are created by dyed fibers; because they are woven into fabric, their luster shifts depending on the angle. Therefore, dyeing exists in physical space rather than a flat, virtual one, and we must appreciate its three-dimensional, tangible qualities. In this process, you control the dye, soaking it into the brush or the fabric. As you allow the dye to seep and spread and leave behind stains, the autonomous hues and charm born of its inherent power are brought out.
Painting: typically easel pictures where the colors come from paint. Painters squeeze the paint from a tube, apply a fixative to keep it in place, and paint with a stiff brush.
Dyeing: a “soak staining” picture. Colors are created by dyed fibers; because they are woven into fabric, their luster shifts depending on the angle. Therefore, dyeing exists in physical space rather than a flat, virtual one, and we must appreciate its three-dimensional, tangible qualities. In this process, you control the dye, soaking it into the brush or the fabric. As you allow the dye to seep and spread and leave behind stains, the autonomous hues and charm born of its inherent power are brought out.
Fukumoto’s Techniques
Fukumoto’s dyeing uses a wide range of techniques, from cloth inlay to wax resist.
Nuno-zōgan: or “textile in-lay”, in which Fukumoto reassembles small pieces of cut dyed fabric into larger mosaics, creating intricate and vibrant compositions. Each fragment interacts uniquely with light and perspective, creating shifting impressions depending on the angle from which the work is viewed.
Tarashikomi: in which one color is poured over another while the first is still drying. In doing so, tarashikomi creates the effects known as shimi, nijimi, and mura, referring to forms of blurring, spreading, and permeation of the dye into the fabric.
Nokori-ga (“Lingering Scent”) and Utsuri-ga (“Transferred Scent”): wet, dyed fabric is pressed onto undyed cloth. As the dye dries,it migrates between the two surfaces, seeping and transferring to create delicate, unpredictable
patterns and stains on both.
Rozome: wax-resist dyeing, in which hot liquified wax is painted onto the surface of cloth in patterns; when the wax hardens, it causes the fabric to resist the dye where the wax has been applied, creating unique and dynamic impressions.
We thank everyone who joined us for this unforgettable afternoon. Shigeki Fukumoto’s textiles continue to grace our gallery walls through June 6, 2026.
Adapted from the artist's talk and the preface of "To Dye, Perchance To Dream" (2017) by Shigeki Fukumoto, translated by Meredith MacKinney.
