The stained glass of Chartres Cathedral
It was a way of manipulating light discovered by medieval craftsmen.
To the light passing through the tissue paper.

"We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants," Bernard of Chartres (Bernardus Carnotensis / ?-1130) said. Everyone thinks about something and creates something through a perspective of the past.

I think we are all in a state of sitting on the shoulders of Bernard of Chartres. That is why I have wanted to see the scenery better, wider, farther, and more clearly. The way to do that is to start with books, go on a journey, look for more books, and look for places to travel, which is also a lifelong pleasure.

Chartres Cathedral(Cathédrale Notre-Dame de ChartresIn the five windows beneath the South Rose Window of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, there is a stained glass window that conveys the words of Bernard of Chartres. I remember looking up at it in the Cathedral and feeling both frightened and delighted at the number and the infinity of things we can learn from the past.

One of the things I experienced then was the mechanism behind the color Chartres blue. It is a technique for manipulating light discovered by medieval craftsmen. The same phenomenon does not occur because the materials are different, but I weave it with paper as if I were taking notes so that I don't forget what I learned.


Text by Rivotorto Pieces


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<References>
◇ Ken Sakai, "What is Romanesque? - The Spiritual History of Stone and Grapes" (Chikuma Shobo)
◇ Malcolm Miller, "Chartres Cathedral"Pitkin Publishing)
◇ Muneo Masugi, "Cosmology of Cathedrals: Reading Sacred Spaces in the Middle Ages" (Kodansha)
◇ Emile Mahr, "European Christian Art: From the 12th to the 18th Centuries" (Iwanami Shoten)


[Notes]

・When storing, avoid high temperatures, humidity, and direct sunlight.
・Since this product is made of natural materials, the texture and appearance may change depending on the environment in which it is placed. Please enjoy the changes over time.

[About the product]
-A handmade booklet explaining the work by the artist is included.
・Your artwork will be delivered in a paper carton that can be used to store it.
-The set includes a handmade paper magnetic frame by the artist.
-We also offer recommended frames selected by the artist.
If you wish,info@fragile-books.com Please contact us and we will provide you with separate information.

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Fragile Exhibition

Passage of Paper Textile
Fragments of Paper
2023.4.1 - 2023.4.30
→View the exhibition archive

Rivotorto Pieces will hold their first solo exhibition, "Passage of Paper Textile". The works are named after the two artists' ancestors whom they have admired since childhood. They feature people from all over the world, past and present, such as saints, picture book authors, and architects. Saint Francis of Assisi, Atsuko Suga, Leo Lionni and Tokujiro Kojima, Bernard of Chartres, Tintoretto, Dante, Giotto, Seiichi Shirai, Sotatsu Tawaraya, William Morris, Édouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, Montaner, Michelangelo, Hermes, Diotima, Barbara Sansoni, Hergé, Hiroshi Yoshino, Rousseau, Frederick II, Simone Weil, Aldo Manuzio, Picasso, and the man from the Masdazil Cave. The messages that accompany each work, detailing encounters with each person, are also quite interesting.