Artist Hirakawa Nagisa has been making sprawling pieces of art primarily by crocheting, delving into places, people’s memories and time. She has recently been creating art with old clothes and knitted items collected from people, using them as materials carrying individual memories.
The museum plans to hold a solo exhibition of Hirakawa in 2022. In preparation for the exhibition, she has been working on a project since the spring of 2021. She collected hand-knitted items from the residents of Yusui Town, where the museum is located. The items will be unraveled into yarn that could be used to make a large-scale artwork. Twenty people have already submitted hand-knitted items and stories related to each item. The museum is organizing an exhibition titled “Itonami,” focusing on these knitted items and stories. After the show, the knitted items that were donated to the project will be unraveled with the permission of their previous owners. The yarn will be woven into the work that will be exhibited next year.
Hand-knitted items made for someone, within their stitches are the knitter’s emotions, things that our eyes cannot see. The daily life of those who were gifted these items. Life goes on, despite the various changes we go through. The exhibition will provide an opportunity to think about all these things.

【Sponsor】Kirishima Open-Air Museum

【Cooperation】Yusui Town / Yusui town Board of education

【Images】Some of the hand-knitted items used in the project

＊　Click here for the exhibition leaflet
＊　Official Instagram account of the project
＊　Official Facebook page of the project
＊　Click here for the overview of the project