paper marbling art & history

One of the oldest and most elegant methods of decorating paper is paper marbling. 

Originating in China, suminagashi has existed in Japan since the 12th century, the Turkish variegated marbling art of ebru arrived in Europe in the 16th century via Venice, the trade gateway to the Orient.

Iconic Japanese Fashion

Before the 1860s, Japanese clothing consisted entirely of a great variety of kimono. 

They first appeared in the Jomon period, (14,500 B.C. ~ 300 B.C.), with no distinction 

between male and female. 

Japonism on display at 188 Galerie

The kimono (きもの) (着物^?) is a Japanese traditional garment. The word kimono, which actually means a "thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing"), has come to denote these full-length robes. 

Happy Halloween!

This coming weekend we celebrate another turn of the Wheel of Life on October 31 - whatever it's called - Samhain, All Hallow's Eve or Halloween. 

188 Galerie window display for Halloween 2015

Whether celebrated traditionally or commercially, pagan or Christian, old or new world - the occasion marks the end of harvest season and is the harbinger of winter coming. 

So let us make hay and be jolly! Let's celebrate a fruitful bounty!

The Art of Washi

Washi is the Japanese word for the traditional papers made from the long inner fibers of three plants native to Japan  - kozo, mitsumata and gampi. 

The kozo plant (Broussonetia papyrifera) or paper mulberry bark is thick and strong. Its long, tough fibers produce durable, textured, stable papers that are the most commonly used in the making of Japanese paper or washi.

A craftsman makes washi paper at his workshop. (Hikaru Uchida)

cutting edge collage

With the new collage exhibition slated for April, 188 Galerie is inspired to share this piece on the history and technique as well as the art and craft of collage.

Collage is a visual art medium and expressive craft process of assembling varied materials to create a whole new piece. The term collage is derived from the French coller, meaning 'to glue.'

Collage emerged from the cubist gluing and pasting explorations of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, who in the beginning of the 20th century transformed the medium into a distinctive part of modern art.

Inside 188 Galerie

The start of 2015 was also the beginning of a new concept of business. 

188 Galerie @188galerie.com

188 Lafayette Street │New York, NY 10013 │800.809.9880

A gallery space that celebrates paper as an art form. 188 Galerie features artists who are inspired by paper as a powerful creative medium and source of artistic expression. 

In addition to exhibitions, the gallery has a select collection of artisanal cards, journals, stationery, and decorative sheets, carefully curated from around the world.