Kubota's story begins with his time as a prisoner of war in the USSR during WWII. Beautifully produced reenactments capture this difficult yet pivotal period of his life. While locked up in his cell, Kubota saw a vision of the Siberian sunset which would later inspire his lifelong project, ‘The Symphony of Light,’ a series of kimonos that would illustrate the grandeur of the universe.
This fascinating documentary describes the complex and intricate craft of Tsujigahana - a traditional technique of decorating fabric. Since there were no instructions of how to recreate this age-old process, Kubota spent decades experimenting to form his own version of the method called Itchiku Tsujigahana. His choice of using the kimono as the canvas for his art symbolises a marriage between Japan and the fashion world, paving the way for future collaborations decades on, including Takashi Murakami's work with Louis Vuitton.
A visually stunning biopic of Itchiku Kubota, one of Japan’s most important contemporary kimono artists. Featuring interviews with formar Prime Misinters of Japan Yoshiro Mori and Yukio Hatoyama, art experts from around the world and Kubota’s contemporaries.