Chigiri-e

Chigiri-e (ちぎり絵?) is a Japanese art form in which the primary technique uses colored paper that is torn to create images, and may resemble a water color painting. The technique dates from the Heian period of Japanese history when it was often used in conjunction with calligraphy. Handmade paper is essential for the creation of chigiri-e images.

History 
 In Japan's Heian period chigiri-e was used in conjunction with calligraphy.  Poems were written on a background of either plain or decorated colored paper, such as in the textural passages of the Genji scrolls. In the 11th century calligraphy paper was usually white or light blue: it could be decorated and colored and then mounted onto a support.


Chigiri-e has become a popular art form. It can be used to create either realistic images or abstract ones. Its use in Japan is often decorative, using flowers and landscapes as subject matter. The paper may be colored by the craftsman paper-maker but many artists color the paper themselves, using vegetable dyes, colored inks or powder pigments. The paper most often used is Tengujoshi: a handmade, long-fibered, very light weight paper (0.03 millimetres thickness).

The craft of paper-making had almost disappeared until, in the early 1900s, a craftsman developed Tengujoshi, one of the strongest and finest papers currently made.  The craft takes three years to learn. This paper, due to its strength, transparency and lightness, is also used for repairing and restoring paintings and other art works. The paper can be made in any range of colors, or may be uncolored. Although very lightweight, its long fibers assure its strength. It is made with 100% mulberry and is sifted through bamboo boards woven with a layer of silk; only about 100 sheets may be produced in one day. There is also a less-labor intensive machine-made version of Tengujoshi paper.

Themes 
 Traditionally Heian calligraphy backgrounds incorporated Chinese patterns and themes.  These themes are still used in woodblock techniques to achieve backgrounds of grasses, bamboo, and water.  Colorful collages could be made with torn (chigiri-e) or cut (kiri-e) paper. Some were further decorated with color pigments or metallic dust. This provides the under-drawing for aristocratic calligraphy.  The combination of texture and transparency results in a characteristic richness of color.   Color names and layered colors are woven throughout Heian poetry and literature. The use of layered color is also found in clothing in this period.   In many collage techniques found images are used but in chigiri-e the torn paper itself is used to create images.      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   -adapted from Wikipedia




Hisae Tamura’s Chigiri-e
 Each artist brings his or her own new skills to the traditional forms.  Hisae uses Yuzen and Komon papers, which contain designs that often appeared in Kimonos, which however are seldom worn nowadays.  She departs from tradition by adding surprising new elements, some from nature and others common household items, to give results that are both elegant and abstract.