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“Saga-men -The Introduction of A Folklore-” photo exhibition of Kimihiro Kurotobi is held at KYOTO MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY Gallery Japanesque 1F“Yuki” “Tsuki” From Tue., May 15 to Sun., May 20 2018.

【About the solo exhibition】
I am interested in Noh and Kyogen from my twenties and a lot of Omote (face) have attracted me; therefore, I have wanted to express them in the world of photographs for a long while. As I research on Omote (face) used in Noh and Kyogen that is passed down in Kyoto, I knew Saga-men in the unexpected way, and the simplicity and the facial expression of them charmed me.
I was also attracted to the history of Saga-men that was alive in commoners’ daily lives as a national folklore and that faded away. I held this exhibition to spread out the history and the inside of Saga-men.
Mr. Fujiwara Huseki, the second Saga-men creator (Mr. Fujiwara Toshiyuki, a Japanese-style painter) gave me an approval to hold this exhibition.
I will hope that it would introduce not only Kyoto’s brilliant history but also its culture that is alive in Sagano, Kyoto since ancient times, and this should make Japanese people and also foreign travelers meet the real thing.

【About Saga-men】
Saga-men is the representative folk craft in Sagano, Kyoto.
There are various kinds, such as Shinbutsu-men, Noh-men, and Zyunishi-men. Some are humorous, and others are scary. But all of them are Dzoku-men that is simple and aloof from the world, and that has a rustic kindness.
In 1279, Enkaku(Juman)-syonin met his mother who started to live away when he was 7 years old at Rakusai’s shaka-do, but his mother died, held by him.
It is said that the origin of Saga-dainenbutsu-kyogen is that Syonin continued dancing for memorial service for the dead, and Saga-men is made to recreate the facial expression of Enkaku(Juman)-syonin at first.
After that, Saga-men became independent of Kyogen, and it was spread as the tools for protecting somebody against evils like amulets in the middle age of the Edo era.
However, the worth as amulets also went out of style, and villagers forgot the way to make Saga-men.
This exhibition’s Saga-men was created by Mr. Fujiwara Huseki, the first Saga-men creator. He got the idea of the facial expressions from Buddhist statues that were made in the middle age in Nara.
Then he animated the lost culture of folk art.
Mr. Huseki, the second Saga-men creator (He has another name, Mr. Fujiwara Toshiyuki, a Japanese-style painter.) took over the technique of the first Fujiwara Huseki, and he adds the new expressions. His artworks have the calm expressions and light warm colors.
The paper for Saga-men is handmade from the wastepaper that was made in Meiji period. The paper as amulet that is put on the back of Men is also handmade with wooden board.


【Artist Profile】

【Profile】
Name：Kimihiro Kurotobi
Birth year：August in 1952
Birth place：Hushimi-ku, Kyoto

profile：work at a commmerciel message production company in Osaka.
Publicity department, MAMIYA CAMERA CO.,LTD　Advertising section.
IMAGESTUDIO 109 CO.,LTD.
Creative division
Media Information System division
Post Production division
Director
Ordinary Business director
Present Advisor

Solo Exhibition：April in 2015 “The World of Monochrome and Coloration”
America-Bashi Gallery, Shibuya, Tokyo
Award History：Modern Artist Society
In 2016, the 72nd contest, Selected 2 works: photography
Belonging：A member of The Photographic Society of Japan

Date / Term	May 15, 2018 (Tue.) － May 20, 2018 (Sun.) 11:00～18:30 Open Everyday
Venue	[Higashiyama-ku] Kyoto Museum of Photography Gallery Japanesque 1F“Yuki” “Tsuki” 374-2 Horiikecho Higashiyama-ku Kyoto 605-0038. japan Nearest station: 5 minutes from Higashiyama station, Tozai subway line on foot, 10 minutes from Sanjo station, Keihan railway on foot.
Admission	Free
URL	http://www.artisan-tokyo.com/wp/news/sagamen
Organizer	Kyoto Museum of Photography Gallery Japanesque
Contact	Mail : ak@artisan-tokyo.com

*For more information, please contact the each organizer.

© Kimihiro Kurotobi