Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery

Special Exhibition
SHIGUCHI: THE HIDDEN ART OF JAPANESE JOINERY
On view through December 2, 2018
at the Gamble House

Shinto Priest

“Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery” reinterprets the connecting elements of historic Japanese timber-frame construction as a compelling expression of contemporary art. Originally crafted by anonymous builders for traditional Japanese farm houses, shiguchi joinery, by its nature, remained hidden from view for hundreds of years while it locked into place the massive structural timbers of humble farm dwellings. A new exhibit organized by The Gamble House brings the work of architect, historian and preservationist Yoshihiro Takishita to Pasadena to showcase the intricate craft of the ancient joiner’s art, known as shiguchi.

Since the 1970s, Yoshihiro Takishita has successfully rescued dozens of Japanese farm houses, or minka, from the threat of development, particularly in mountainous Gifu Prefecture. By carefully disassembling the houses, timber by timber, and reassembling them in new locations, Takishita gave many of these historic houses a second life. Not all of the constituent parts could be re-purposed in the new locations, however, and, not wanting to discard any remnant examples of shiguchi, Mr. Takishita carefully stored the “orphans” of timber construction. He soon realized that these objects could stand on their own, literally and figuratively, as individual works of art. Over time, Mr. Takishita rescued enough of these structural fragments that he came to curate a coherent collection of remarkable aesthetic value.

For the first time in the United States, these antiques of traditional joinery will be exhibited throughout The Gamble House, itself a masterwork of architectural wood craft. This exhibition has been organized by The Gamble House, with co-curators Yoshihiro Takishita, Ted Bosley, James N. Gamble Director of the Gamble House, and Jennifer Trotoux, Curator of the Gamble House.

Additional Information:  Shiguchi Press Release
Interview and Photo Inquires: Please contact Sheryl Scott, Marketing Manager, sherylsc@usc.edu, 213-705-9772

LECTURE: THE ART OF SHIGUCHI

LECTURE: THE ART OF SHIGUCHI
Sunday, September 30  |  3:00 pm-6:00 pm
3:00pm-4:00pm – Lecture at the Neighborhood Church (Sanctuary)
4:00pm-5:00pm – Self-paced tour of the exhibition at The Gamble House
5:00pm-6:00pm – Reception and Book signing at The Gamble House

Yoshihiro Takishita (Co-Curator) will take us on a journey through his many years of relocating old minka houses as well as his love of shiguchi and the 50 years he’s spent collecting them. The lecture (at the Neighborhood Church) will be followed by a self-paced tour of the exhibition “Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery.” The event concludes with a reception and book signing. “The Art of Shiguchi” by Mr. Takishita will be available for purchase the evening of the lecture/signing.

Yoshihiro Takishita was born in 1945 in Gifu prefecture. In 1967 he graduated from Waseda University with a degree in law. While still a student, he learned of a 250-year-old farmhouse (minka) near his home town that was about to be submerged in the construction of a local reservoir. He bought the house and moved it to Kamakura to live in. After that, he traveled around the world, visiting thirty-six countries. Returning to Japan, he became an antique dealer. At the same time, as an architect he developed an avid interest in relocating and preserving old minka. To present, he has overseen the restoration of thirty-six minka (four abroad). A first-class registered architect, he is also the curator of the Shiguchi-do (Joinery Hall).

Learn more about Yoshihiro Takishita, Visit Shiguchi Do

“My ongoing conversation with old minka and their reconstruction―venerable structures representing the acme of the environmentally sustainable society that was premodern Japan―is both a lifelong mission and a source of unending pleasure.” ~ Yoshihiro Takishita, November 2017

WOODWORKER'S TOURS

WOODWORKER’S TOURS OF THE SHIGUCHI EXHIBITION
Sunday, October 7 and October 21  |  10:00 am-12:00 pm
at The Gamble House

Join woodworker Jim Ipekjian for a tour of Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery from a craftsman’s point of view. This 2 hour tour is limited to a group of 10. For more information or to purchase by phone, call ACME Ticketing at (844) 325-0812.

Contemporary woodworker Jim Ipekjian has studied the art and craft of the Greenes and the Halls for more than 20 years. 

Jim graduated from Pasadena City College with training as a machinist and subsequently worked in the aerospace industry. This provided a valuable skill set which would later strengthen his woodworking capabilities by enabling him to fabricate custom hardware and tooling for his work. His early career involved building custom furniture in a variety of styles including early American, French, contemporary, and Greene and Greene.

Jim leads Details & Joinery tours at the Gamble House which focuses on the construction of the house and its furnishings.

Read more about Jim Ipekjian, visit Pasadena Woodworks.

CURATOR'S TOURS

CURATOR’S TOURS OF THE SHIGUCHI EXHIBITION
Sunday, November 18  |  10:00 am-12:00 pm
at The Gamble House

Join Curator, Jennifer Trotoux, for a 2 hour an in-depth tour of Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery. This 2 hour tour is limited to a group of 10. For more information or to purchase by phone, call ACME Ticketing at (844) 325-0812.

Jennifer Trotoux has served as the Curator of the Gamble House since the fall of 2017. She has spent her career in historic preservation consulting and architectural history with two prominent California firms since 1995 and taught architectural history at Woodbury University. A native of Pasadena, Jennifer studied art history and architectural history at Scripps College in Claremont, where she earned her B. A., and at the University of Chicago at the graduate level; in 2016 she completed the Attingham Summer School for the study of English country houses and their collections. Jennifer joined the Gamble House staff after many years of volunteer involvement as a docent, as the editor of the Friends of the Gamble House quarterly publication, and in leadership positions on the Friends of the Gamble House board.

SAKE TASTING

SAKE TASTING
Sunday, November 4  |  5:00 pm-7:00 pm
at The Gamble House

Sake, or rice wine, was first consumed in Japan over 2,000 years ago, centuries before the introduction of tea to the islands. The drink was first used in religious rituals to honor the gods, but gradually it came to play a more important role in the secular lives of the Japanese and, for centuries it has been enjoyed, both hot and cold, by all levels of Japanese society.

Meher McArthur, specialist in the art and culture of East Asia, will present a brief slide lecture discussing the cultural history of sake, the various art forms that have evolved around the drink, its production methods and the correct ways to drink it. She will conclude by leading a sampling of several different kinds of sake, and will explain the major types of sake available in the US – and how to enjoy them.

Meher McArthur is an independent Asian art curator, author and educator. She worked for nine years as Curator of East Asian Art at Pacific Asia Museum, where she curated 15 exhibitions and several permanent galleries. Her most recent major exhibitions have been with the traveling exhibitions company International Arts & Artists (IA&A), for whom she curated Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami (traveled 2012-2016) and Above the Fold: New Expressions in Origami, (traveling 2015-2019) and Nature, Tradition and Innovation: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Collection of Gordon Brodfuehrer (2016-2019). Locally, she is Creative Director at the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena, where she opened the En Gallery in 2017 and curates regular exhibitions relating to Japanese culture, nature and spirituality. In 2017, Origami USA presented her with their Florence Temko Innovation Award in recognition for her origami exhibitions.

SHIGUCHI HAPPY HOUR

SHIGUCHI HAPPY HOUR
Friday, November 2, 9, 16, 30  |  4:00pm-6:00pm
at the Gamble House

Join us for SHIGUCHI HAPPY HOUR. Visit us from 4:00pm-6:00pm on select Fridays in November and explore the exhibition at your own pace during this open house style event. Two Shiguchi related documentaries Minka (10 mins., Yoshihiro Takishita) and Minka: A Japanese Farmhouse (15 mins., Birdling Films) will be shown on rotation during the evening. Guests are invited to present their ticket at the reception area on the rear terrace for a complimentary glass of wine or sparkling water.

• Guests will receive a printed exhibition guide upon arrival.
• These are not docent-led tours, all Shiguchi Happy Hour events are self-guided.
• Admission tickets must be turned in at the reception area to receive a complimentary beverage.
• One beverage per ticketed guest. 
• No food or drinks are permitted inside the house.

SHIGUCHI TOURS

1-HOUR DOCENT GUIDED TOUR OF “SHIGUCHI: THE HIDDEN ART OF JAPANESE JOINERY” 
Saturday, November 3, 10, 17 and December 1  |  3:00pm-4:00pm
at the Gamble House

Join us for a docent-led tour of the exhibition “Shiguchi: The Hidden Art of Japanese Joinery”. During this specialized 1hr tour guests will learn about Shiguchi, Minka and the natural connects between Japanese joinery and the Gamble House.