Kibe Seiho

Artist Reception: Friday, June 28, 5-7pm

Artist Demonstration: Saturday, June 29, 3-4pm

Thirty years ago, bamboo artist Kibe Seiho was lying in the hospital recovering from a broken leg when he realized that he wanted to begin a career that allowed him to work with his hands. He quit his job as a gas station attendant and enrolled in the Oita Prefectural Bamboo Craft and Training Center in Beppu, Japan. Ten years ago, he had his first solo show in the United States at TAI Gallery in Santa Fe. Now, he is returning to show his new body of work at TAI Modern’s upcoming exhibition Kibe Seiho, in which the artist will showcase his sensitivity to balance and proportion and his mastery of traditional bamboo basket-making techniques.

In many of his works, Kibe uses susutake, bamboo from the rafters of old farm houses in the area in which he grew up. The bamboo is naturally smoked by hearths built into the floors. Rich caramel tones are the cumulative effect of 100 years or more of human life. 

“I weave finely-cut bamboo to express the ephemerality of nature and to convey my feelings and emotions. Simple forms, flowing lines, and calming colors are three elements I always keep in mind when I create.”

Kibe's baskets are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, and the Oita Prefectural Art Museum.

The opening is Friday, June 28, from 5-7pm. The artist will be giving a presentation for the public on Saturday, June 29, from 3-4pm. TAI Modern is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.