Splendid Threads, Secret Messages: The Language of Japanese Kimonos

By: Brittney Schering

The Muskegon Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition, Splendid Threads, Secret Messages: The Language of Japanese Kimonos. The exhibition will run through Jan. 23, 2011. It provides an introduction to the world of Japanese kimonos. Symbolic messages are hidden in their exquisite decorations and traditions from the past still dictate how they are worn today.

While Westerners readily recognize this garment and its country of origin, our knowledge generally stops there. Closer examination can provoke many questions, such as: Do all those birds, flowers, and fans really mean something? Why are some sleeves so very long?

Hidden in the design details are messages of love, honor, longevity, faithfulness, and more. Kimonos, while similar in style, can reveal social status, age, the season of the year, and other aspects of daily life through pattern, color, and fabric.

The selection of more than a dozen garments covers a range of traditional clothing from children's wear to bridal robes and men's attire to resort apparel. Today kimonos are worn primarily for festivals and celebrations, but they remain icons of Japanese culture.

Splendid Threads was organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art with the assistance of guest curator Patricia Wade. The exhibition is sponsored by the Van Kampen Foundation and Blue Lake Public Radio. Please head over to www.muskegonartmuseum.org for more information and related programs in the area.