NEW YORK, NY.- Material Transformation a webinar–co-hosted by Joan B Mirviss LTD and Asia Week New York– will delve into the vibrant history of Japanese textile art, the evolution of the kimono, the continued use of recycled materials in textile creation, and the ways contemporary makers use traditional aesthetics and techniques innovatively to expand the field of Japanese textile art. To register for the webinar on November 14th at 5:00 p.m. (EST), click: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v6vLGomhT6GtfAXcLmnXsg

For over a millennium, Japan has been celebrated for its vibrant and diverse textile industry. From weaving with silk, wool, wood, stainless steel and even silkworm cocoons to numerous styles of fabric dyeing, Japanese artists have continually pushed the boundaries of tradition and technology.

Moderated by Joan Mirviss–whose renowned New York gallery is among the foremost in the field of Japanese of art–the distinguished panelists include:

Steve Beimel, a longtime resident of Japan who produced in-depth cultural tours with a Japanese culture-focused company that he founded in 1992. In 2018, he founded JapanCraft21 (NPO) to save and revitalize Japanese master crafts, support apprenticeships in vulnerable craft genres, and host national contests that give ongoing support to craftspeople.

Monika Bincsik, the Diane and Arthur Abbey Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specializes in Japanese decorative arts and textiles. She was co-curator of Kimono: A Modern History (2014) and curated Japanese Bamboo Art: The Abbey Collection (2017), and Kyoto: Capital of Artistic Imagination (2019). She has published widely on decorative arts and collecting history.

Anna Jackson is the Keeper of the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum. A specialist in Japanese textiles and dress, she has written widely on the subject. Most recently she curated the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk and edited the accompanying publication. Jackson was awarded the Foreign Minister`s Commendation in 2020 for the promotion of Japanese culture in the United Kingdom.

Reiko Sudō i is the design director for the leading textile design firm Nuno, founded in 1984, and a member of the prestigious Japan Design Committee. Additionally, Sudō is an Emerita Professor at Tokyo Zokei University, an honorary MA graduate from the University for the Creative Arts (UK), and a recipient of the Mainichi Design Award, the ROSCOE Design Prize and the Japan Interior Design Association JID Award.