Amiyose V

“Everything has its limitations, and certainly fiber does…and of course the loom has many limitations. I love working within limitations.” - Kay Sekimachi

Kay Sekimachi is known for her elegant and technically complex woven forms. Her nylon monofilament works reflect a revolutionary method she developed decades ago: each is woven in six layers on a twelve-harness loom. Taken off the loom, they open, as here, into ethereal sculptures.

Born in San Francisco, Sekimachi showed an early aptitude for calligraphy, painting, and origami. Later, she studied with Bauhaus-trained weaver Trude Guermonprez, who instilled in her an appreciation for materials and method. Sekimachi’s works also reflect an affinity for such diverse textile techniques as Native American split-ply twining, Tibetan card weaving, and Peruvian gauze weaves.