Snowflakes fall as beetles do
Words, voices and images: Connecting to cultures around the world
“The hands of countless generations of papermakers in Gifu have made this beautiful, strong and long lasting paper so sought after by artists around the world.” Andrea Hylands
Duration
10.07
Director
Peter and Andrea Hylands
Cinematography
Andrea Hylands
The music in the film above is Zen Garden by La Chigale, Canada (courtesy Premium Beat).
First of all this is a story about Hon-minoshi, the beautiful hand-made paper from Gifu Prefecture. A parcel arrives from Gifu and we discover that snowflakes fall as beetles do.
So we make the familiar journey from Gifu to the Whipstick Forest to deliver a very special package to friend and artist John Wolseley.
Packaging design is also a Japanese art, as John opens the box we all peer at its contents with amazement, John is thrilled by the sheets of paper before him.
“This is the most wonderful paper I have ever seen”.
John is correct, the paper is beautiful indeed.
In one sense Hon-minoshi, designated an important intangible cultural property, is rare, making up about ten per cent of Mino washi production. It is the highest in the order of papermaking, made from the bark of Mulberry trees using traditional hand methods, bleaching is not allowed and never contemplated. Hon-minoshi making is an art that is at one with nature, the paper’s intertwined fibres reflecting the way of the world.
Hon-minoshi is of clean and sparkling rivers and of ancient traditions.
John is lucky indeed. You will need to watch the film to find out about the snowflakes and beetles, it is here that Japan and Australia come together.
A collaboration of beetles - Gifu to Australia
Here is John’s description of the work you see in the film.
85 x 64 cm. Monotype (unique print) Etching and relief print (from found wood and a Belgian bread board) on Hon-minoshi from Gifu.
This print celebrates the connections between Japan and Australia. It includes beetle species from Australia and Japan with a reference to the famous Nawa Insect Museum in Gifu (we call this our museum next door, just a few steps from our home). Among the beetles are Kabutomushi, the Rhinoceros beetle, and Kuwagata - (Stag Beetles) from Japan.
There is also an interesting synchrony in the way the superb Hon-minoshi paper is made from bark of the Mulberry tree from Japan and on it are the printed images taken from the tracks of beetle larvae engraved on the inside of bark from the Australian Grey Box tree.
Gifts for the Governor
Our connection with Japan has been a long one and Gifu is always in our hearts. So a few weeks ago we spent happy days in Gifu making a film about the culture and nature of Gifu Prefecture for Governor Hajime Furuta’s visit to Sydney.
We all arrived in Sydney, it was also a very special day because it was Governor Furuta’s birthday. Among the speeches to mark the occasion, Andrea presented the Governor with a bouquet on behalf of the Gifu Prefectural Government and John presents his beetle print, so the Kabutomushi are now back at home in Japan.
So we make the familiar journey from Gifu to the Whipstick Forest to deliver a very special package to friend and artist John Wolseley.
Packaging design is also a Japanese art, as John opens the box we all peer at its contents with amazement, John is thrilled by the sheets of paper before him.
“This is the most wonderful paper I have ever seen”.
John is correct, the paper is beautiful indeed.
In one sense Hon-minoshi, designated an important intangible cultural property, is rare, making up about ten per cent of Mino washi production. It is the highest in the order of papermaking, made from the bark of Mulberry trees using traditional hand methods, bleaching is not allowed and never contemplated. Hon-minoshi making is an art that is at one with nature, the paper’s intertwined fibres reflecting the way of the world.
Hon-minoshi is of clean and sparkling rivers and of ancient traditions.
John is lucky indeed. You will need to watch the film to find out about the snowflakes and beetles, it is here that Japan and Australia come together.
A collaboration of beetles - Gifu to Australia
Here is John’s description of the work you see in the film.
85 x 64 cm. Monotype (unique print) Etching and relief print (from found wood and a Belgian bread board) on Hon-minoshi from Gifu.
This print celebrates the connections between Japan and Australia. It includes beetle species from Australia and Japan with a reference to the famous Nawa Insect Museum in Gifu (we call this our museum next door, just a few steps from our home). Among the beetles are Kabutomushi, the Rhinoceros beetle, and Kuwagata - (Stag Beetles) from Japan.
There is also an interesting synchrony in the way the superb Hon-minoshi paper is made from bark of the Mulberry tree from Japan and on it are the printed images taken from the tracks of beetle larvae engraved on the inside of bark from the Australian Grey Box tree.
Gifts for the Governor
Our connection with Japan has been a long one and Gifu is always in our hearts. So a few weeks ago we spent happy days in Gifu making a film about the culture and nature of Gifu Prefecture for Governor Hajime Furuta’s visit to Sydney.
We all arrived in Sydney, it was also a very special day because it was Governor Furuta’s birthday. Among the speeches to mark the occasion, Andrea presented the Governor with a bouquet on behalf of the Gifu Prefectural Government and John presents his beetle print, so the Kabutomushi are now back at home in Japan.
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The music in the film above is Zen Garden by La Chigale, Canada (courtesy Premium Beat).