We asked some of the top quilters in Japan to think about the music that they have loved and that has inspired them as they worked — whether a love song, the score of a musical, the songs of a particular artist, or a children’s song.

Our special exhibit for 2020 takes music as its theme, with each of eight celebrated quilt artists producing new works centered on the music that has shaped their lives.

Reiko Washizawa’s quilts bring to life the dream and fantasy world of “The Bremen Town Musicians.”
Kathy Nakajima’s quilts are a tribute to the rock stars she has admired since her teenage years.

Yoko Ueda brilliantly depicts two passionate women characters from the world of opera, Carmen and the Lady of the Camellias. Suzuko Koseki’s works will call to mind the rhythm of oldies music. Yoshiko Katagiri — who works in the Wa, or traditional Japanese, style — captures the warmth of Japanese children’s songs.

Other works include “Mary Poppins” by Yoko Saito, “The Nutcracker” by Akane Sakamoto, and the Kohaku quilts of Pachiko Yoshida. Enjoy the unique way that each artist creates a harmony of quilting and music.

English patchwork and quilts have a long history as a luxurious pastime for the upper class and a daily necessity of life for the working class. With their splendid designs featuring beautiful plants and animals and their delicate stitches, their patchworks have achieved worldwide admiration. Through the cooperation of the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles — an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of quilting — precious antique quilts dating as far back as the 18th century will be on exhibit at the Tokyo Dome.

At the same time, Britain is also known for innovative contemporary quilters who take such a fresh approach to quilting and patchwork that their work falls into the category of modern art. One such group, Art Textiles: Made in Britain, which features Sandra Meech and Cas Holmes, will bring their works to Tokyo Dome, after touring festivals and galleries internationally.
This exhibit takes viewers on a journey through textile treasures, from fine antique quilts to cutting-edge contemporary art.

Curious George was born in Paris to German Jewish parents H. A. and Margret Rey; he then developed and was popularized in America, and more than 70 years later continues to captivate children’s hearts. The impish and adorable monkey is much loved in Japan, and his show continues to air on NHK public broadcasting. At this year’s show, the playful stories of Curious George are reinterpreted through quilting and embroidery works, in an exhibit that can be enjoyed by all generations, young and old.

Vibrant color combinations show the freedom of Keiko Goke’s thought. Her playful designs include adorable hearts and cactuses about to break out in dance. This exhibit features major and new works by this wildly popular artist whose use of color has won her fans from around the world.

Shizuko Kuroha, the pioneer of “Wa,” or traditional Japanese style quilting, has created a unique world of indigo. Her work focuses on space and nature, capturing shimmering light, waving water, whispering winds. These expressions are made possible by her secret method of elaborate piecing, ingeniously designed to create a sense of motion. In this exhibit, we will explore the secrets of Kuroha’s world.

The theme of the 2020 Partnership Quilt is “Animals We Love,” and the project is supervised by Suzuko Koseki. The quilts created from submitted panels will be displayed and raffled at Tokyo Dome.