INTERVIEW | Why I Fell in Love With Japanese Craft with Nichole Fiorentino of Ecuador

At first glance, Nichole Fiorentino's creations are striking with their bright colors and exciting use of nature. She builds a world of cross-cultural artistry. JAPAN Forward sat with Fiorentino to explore her love of Japanese craft and Ecuadorian craftsmanship. 

Excerpts follow: 

The Craftsman Behind the Craft 

What first drew you to explore Japanese craftsmanship?

The short story is that in 2002, a famous Ecuadoran journalist went to Japan for the Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup. Then, he made these little mini-documentaries about Japan that were put on national TV. I watched them, and it was so different from my country. Personally, I believe Ecuador has been a very hermetic society. So, as a child to see something so completely different was a huge shock. I was drawn to it immediately. 

When I got into Japanese gardens, it was because my mom bought this coffee table book, the ones you're not supposed to touch. I would sneak out of my room at night and steal that book and just read it, even though I couldn't understand it because it had all of these topographical evaluations for Japanese gardens. However, the pictures were cute. But I never had anyone to talk about it with. It was a very internal thing, and only my family members knew about it. 

What caused you to make the shift from an internal to an external form of expression? 

It's when I found kimono. That shifted everything because it gave me an opening to learn about Japan directly. I was learning about a culture by living in its clothes. It was a huge breakthrough in understanding this culture, which I admire so much. And then from a design perspective, it was really interesting, because [up to then] I only wore black and white. 

So I suddenly bought neon pink clothes and paired them with yellow and neon. I finally learned how to mix colors myself, and it bled into my design. Before that, I used to make this kind of gothic artwork, so I only used black and white, like ink and paper. And then suddenly I was making neon pink and blue paintings.

Why did you decide to study in Japan? 

When in college, I felt under-challenged and was always frustrated. So when I had the chance to study in Japan through my scholarship, I was determined to take advantage of the opportunity and make it as hard for myself as possible. Japanese culture and kimono were things I could embrace, and I never said "no" to the opportunities that came to me. 

I crunched everything into that little time I had to learn about [fabric] dyeing and tea ceremony. Surprisingly, the tea ceremony has really been great for me, it's a different type of aesthetic. It's very simple, the complete opposite of what people know me for. But I think Ecuadorians have received it quite well. I just wanted to challenge myself, and not wait for my university to challenge me.

Of the many artistic endeavors that you've tried, which one would you like to be associated with the most? 

Right now I'm at a crossroads because I've been doing so many things. I was tattooing, which inspired my Yuzen style, and then Yuzen inspired my kimono style. My kimono style inspired my accessories line and my ceramics. However, ceramics also is part of the tea ceremony. 

In ceramics, I'm starting to really develop my style and understand the craft more. And the same goes for my accessories. Right now I've started making accessories with polymer clay, and I'm [also] making them with porcelain.

I follow all of these tea masters who have their voices and there are so many possibilities. For example, there's an amazing artist called Takuro Kuwata-san who makes tea bowls, but they look crazy. They're bulbous and gold and neon. That inspired me. But it's everything at the same time. 

Comparing Communities 

How are the art communities in Japan and Ecuador different? 

In Japan, art galleries can be rented and they don't cost an arm and a leg. You can put up a show and invite your friends, and then the gallery already has an audience so those people can visit too.

There are a lot of websites in Japan. There's one called Creema, kind of like Etsy, where people sell their handmade crafts for a good price. In Japan, there's a better understanding of the cost of crafts and a huge appreciation for things handmade. Artists in Japan, have many options to choose from to expand their audience and become successful.

Here (in Ecuador) it's difficult to find a community. Few art galleries are willing to take in a small collection of artworks. It's usually just one artist showing a huge amount of work and they have to be well-connected, and it's very expensive.

Recently some additional options have risen. We have our first design stores and I often work with them. The design and art community is just starting to grow here.

What are some similarities and differences between Ecuadorian and Japanese craftsmanship? 

Historically they're very different. The main difference is that Japan has a standardized culture. There might be some regional differences but overall Japan has been [relatively] homogenous throughout its history. 

Meanwhile, Ecuador, before and after colonialism, has been very diverse. The indigenous peoples of Ecuador have different languages, traditional clothes, and crafts. 

Also, in Japan, craftspeople are highly regarded. For example, the Raku family has made tea bowls since the time of Sen-no-rikyu. They're expensive but people have high regard for them. Even the little cup of a lesser-known craftsman could sell for a reasonable price and people would take care of it.

Here, crafts aren't taken as seriously. We have these high-level crafts like Panama hats. Also, Panama hats are from Ecuador, not Panama. Here they're Tokiya hats. Those are held in high regard. 

But beadwork isn't taken seriously and it's just as labor intensive. If you go to a market and an Indigenous person sells necklaces or bracelets made by hand, bead by bead, she couldn't sell them for a decent price. There are a lot of Indigenous groups who go to sell their stuff directly in Europe to Europeans because it's better valued outside of Ecuador.

Is it difficult to find certain materials for crafts? 

I haven't been able to explore [fabric] dyeing since I returned. We have a lot of drug-related issues in Ecuador. Due to drug-related crimes, many basic household chemicals were banned or strictly regulated. However, I brought many of the things that I needed for dying from Japan, like the itomenori. 

But, if I want to dye the backgrounds, I need to cover the already dyed part of the design with a special kind of glue. You can make it with rice and rice husks, but you have to use lime and most lime is banned. There are alternatives but they could be corrosive to the silk and I haven't experimented with those yet. 

Significance of Japanese Craft

Why do you think we should promote traditional craftsmanship?

There's so much that we can learn from crafts. I like to learn all the rules of the craft first. And then I go and break all of them. Every time you learn from an artisan, you pick up on what they're leaving behind. You start at their endpoint and then go forward. And when you go forward, there are innovations and new ways of looking at things, you keep it alive.

Artisanal crafts connect you to the things that you make but they also connect people. You can just go to IKEA and get a flower vase, but who made it? That connection is so important, and it breaks away from this fast consumption cycle. 

What do you see for the future of craft? 

Japan has some great initiatives to keep crafts going, like the whole Ningen Kokuhō [Living National Treasure] system, and many department stores work with artisans. I just think some crafts may need to be a bit more visible, so I hope that more attention will be paid to the lesser-known crafts within Japan. However, society is changing, and people are fed up with vapid consumerism and want pieces with meaning.

People want Ecuador to be like an artsy design hub. As someone who is part of that community, I have high hopes that with these new initiatives and stores popping around, it's going to happen eventually. It would be good for the craftspeople to be able to sell their creations and keep themselves afloat through their craft eventually. I think Ecuador has such huge potential. 

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Interview by: Natasha Takahashi