From 14 to 19 September the Luciana Matalon Foundation will host the exhibition “ The line between kimono, art and photography ”, curated by Eleonora Angiolini and Mamiko Ikeda in collaboration with Koji Fukumoto.

“ The line between kimono, art and photography ” is a journey for the rediscovery of the traditional Japanese dress, the kimono (着物 literally “thing to wear” and therefore “dress”): its history, its variations and the union of one of the symbols of Japanese craftsmanship and tradition applied to contemporary trends, through the gaze and practice of three authors: Mamiko Ikeda, Koji Fukumoto and Nello Taietti.

The exhibition opens with the textile works of Mamiko Ikeda , following an educational path that will reveal the nature of the fabrics and their processing so that they can be used to make the famous ceremonial dress and the elements that compose it. Koji Fukumoto , stylist and art director whose work is aimed at the rediscovery and adaptation of the kimono and its influences in the language of contemporary fashion, will present an exhibition aimed at making the Western public understand the values of the artisan tradition of their country, through an innovative approach dictated by contemporary fashions.

Also part of the exhibition are two photographic series by Nello Taietti , curated by Eleonora Angiolini, which capture the more traditional and more transgressive sides of Japanese culture. In the first series, Nello Taietti immortalizes the feminine and harmonious character of the kimono worn by women Japanese during the tea ceremony ritual; in the second, the transgressive desire of the young model clearly emerges as she wears traditional clothes in a provocative way, breaking the taboos of Japanese tradition.

ORGANIC

MAMIKO IKEDA Born and raised in Japan, Mamiko Ikeda fell in love with the art of the kimono thanks to her maternal grandmother who used to wear it every day. Mamiko learned the fundamental notions during her studies in Aesthetics and Art History and thanks to the teachings of Ishida Setsuko, in Japan one of the main authorities on kimonos in the world of television and the press. He then worked for several years for animated cinema, completing his studies then, in 2012, at the IED in Milan, obtaining a Master in Fashion - Brand Marketing .

KOJI FUKUMOTO Koji Fukumoto, Japanese stylist and art director, works for internationally renowned fashion magazines, first and foremost "Vogue Italia". Since 2014 he has operated mainly between Japan, England and Italy, where he develops a style capable of combining East and West. Koji's objective is to transmit the values of Japanese craftsmanship, in particular that linked to the tradition of the kimono, outside the borders of his own land, breaking the classic style of dressing, reworking fabrics and materials according to an inspired taste western.

NELLO TAIETTI Nello Taietti's photographs come directly from his unconscious and the photographic lens becomes a tool for investigating a point of contact and coexistence between his conscious and unconscious parts. Since the 1980s he has passionately dedicated himself to photography, supported by masters such as Virgilio Carnisio and Gianni Berengo Gardin. In 2000 he opened the MILARTE Contemporary Art Gallery and, two years later, in 2002, he staged Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the Nuovo Piccolo Teatro Strehler in Milan thanks to the skill and interpretation of Korean, Italian and Japanese artists. In 2007 he first became director and then president of the Luciana Matalon Foundation. Since 2014 he has curated various photographic and Japanese art exhibitions and, between 2019 and in 2023 he exhibited three personal exhibitions at the Luciana Matalon Foundation: "Onironautica", in 2019, in conjunction with which he created a theater show of which he was the author, director and set designer; “Meetings in Lula – Adzovios a Luvula“, in 2022, a photographic journey in the community and surroundings of Lula, Sardinia; and “Onironautica 2“ in 2023, an artistic project that develops between performance art, music, poetry and photography.