広重の中山道の宿場町にも登場する愛知川。近江鉄道愛知川駅に隣接したギャラリーで多賀町敏満寺のキルト作家、竹内綾子さんの作品展に行ってきました。
国際キルトフェスティバルで何度も賞を獲得という経歴の竹内さんは一貫してその作品に古布を用いて独自の世界を表現しています。どの作品も、何度見ても、竹内さんが暮らしの中で見てきた道具や風景が何とも温かく優しく、時にユーモラスにそこかしこに散りばめられていて作品の前に立つ者を幸福にしてくれます。技法もパッチワークはもちろん、刺繍やビーズ、アップリケなど細部に工夫がしてあり、その感性と才能に驚かされます。キルトとかパッチワークと聞くと、幾何学的なデザインが頭に浮かびますが、竹内さんの作品は直線をわざと外した歪んだ線が多く見られます。この辺りも独自の表現で楽しいです。
Echigawa is an old post town and Hiroshige, a famous printmaker in Edo period left behind a wood print of a scene of Echigawa as one of a series of 53 post towns. There was Ayako Takeuchi's quilt exhibition at the gallery next to Echigawa station. Ms. Takeuchi is a resident of Binmanji in Taga.
Ms.Takeuchi, who was awarded many times at the International Quilt Festival in the past, expresses her own world by using old Japanese used clothes. In her work, she often put old tools or scenery which were familiar in her daily life and they were expressed warmly, gently and humorously. We feel very comfortable and happy with them. She uses various techniques and ideas such as patchwork, embroidery, beads, applique, etc. and these are really amazing. When we hear "quilt" or "patchwork", we imagine geometric design but Ms. Takeuchi often uses crooked lines and not straight lines. I think it is her own idea and wonderful.