Untitled

1990

Untitled, 1990. Hiroyuki Shindo (Japanese, 1941-). Indigo-dyed cotton; overall: 17.2 x 17.2 x 17.2 cm (6 3/4 x 6 3/4 x 6 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mildred Constantine 1996.204 The method of indigo dyeing is a centuries-old Japanese tradition, and the artist Hiroyuki Shindo is internationally known for his artwork that utilizes this ancient technique in contemporary forms. He uses a natural dye process that begins with the harvesting the plants. In the case of the thread balls, he uses a resist dying technique on different size balls that results in an array of organic designs and levels of saturation. By showing the thread balls in groups, it displays the individualism of each handmade iteration. The artist often exhibits these balls in groups, directly on the floor.