If you come to see it,
the forest always harbours
the warmth of the forest.
Chiyo-ni (Ishikawa 1703-1775)
Taking this haiku (a type of Japanese poem) by the writer Chijo-ni as a starting point, we can enter into the work of the Canarian artist Nayra Martín Reyes. In the same way that we are presented with something unknown, such as a forest, and using it as a metaphor, full of stories and nuances, we need to get to its roots in order to understand its essence, the origin or warmth from which each fact emerges. This exercise is fundamental to understanding the work of the creator Nayra, who decided to investigate Shibari (the Japanese art of tying) in order to discover the story behind this practice. This type of action is sometimes translated in the West as ‘Japanese bondage’, but despite having certain aspects in common, it does not have the same purpose. First of all, we must point out that shibari is influenced by hojôjutsu(a martial art) which, several centuries ago, was used to immobilize criminals at the time of their arrest or transfer. It was not until the 20th century, when the painter Ito Seiu (Tokyo, 1882 – 1961), began to transform this practice (of tying) into a type of art with a certain sensuality, that he became the ‘father of modern kinbaku’ (of tense tying). Today, shibari or kinbaku has spread and crossed borders.
But why is it so popular among women in Japan? This is where the difference with other countries lies and where we find a point in common with the work of the artist Nayra. Whereas in the West, where we can see these practices as an exercise in the search for pleasure through immobilization, in Japan this action is seen as an option for women to break with their modesty and feel liberated. This reflection may seem strange, how through a technique that prevents you from moving somehow creates a sense of empowerment. But, the truth is that, in a country where conforming to accepted customs and repressing certain emotions is the norm, this art becomes an option for women to relax and be themselves. For this reason, and in relation to the artist’s works, although her pieces are ‘tied up’, the most intimate part of them breathes. Likewise, the predominant color is white, a symbol of imposed purity that can be torn by the tension of the rope. However, as we have said, this gesture allows the spirit to be liberated.
Thus, as the poet Chijo-ni points out in her haiku, we must embrace the nature, in this case, of different cultures in order to really understand them. Nayra’s works evoke not only the desire of many Japanese women, but also the breathing of women, the warmth that can be glimpsed in the forest.
PhD. Alejandra Rodríguez Cunchillos
Galería de imágenes
