When I saw the exhibition “Fendre l’air – Art of bamboo in Japan”, I immediately thought of Tina Chow’s jewelry.

 

 

The exhibition at the Musée Branly, entitled “Fendre l’air – Art of bamboo in Japan” is dedicated to Japanese bamboo baskets. The intertwining of stems and the way the interplay of solids and empty spaces forms abstract paintings are wonderful and surprisingly timeless. In particular, those from the Naej collection, wonderfully photographed by Bertrand Stark in the book “Baskets: Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art 1850-2015”.

 

Tina Chow’s jewelry

Tina Chow, a famous American model whose mother was Japanese, was inspired in the 1980s by similar Japanese baskets. His father, a major collector, offered them in his gallery “Bamboo House”. Her polished stones (topaz, quartz, rock crystal, etc.) chosen for their virtues are set in braided bamboo frames by the great Japanese master, Shochikudo Kosuge. Her most famous piece, the Kyoto bracelet, contains 7 mobile crystals, and can now be seen in museums such as the Museum of Decorative Arts (Paris).

 

Tina Chow by Naïla de Monbrison

Tina Chow’s jewelry was sold in Paris, at Naïla de Monbrison‘s, who told me about her meeting with the artist. “On the day of the opening of my gallery in December 1987, there was a crazy crowd. Tina Chow arrived with photographer David Seidner. She had incredible charisma. She showed me two of her jewels and a few months later, I dedicated my first exhibition to her. She had hung bamboos all over the gallery. The atmosphere was astonishing, magical… That’s really what launched me.”

 

“Fendre l’air – Art of bamboo in Japan “ at the Musée du Quai Branly until 07 April 2019

Banner image: © Bertrand Stark

 

 

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