Unfolding Image – A Contemporary Approach to the Japanese Folding Screen

Unfolding Image – A Contemporary Approach to the Japanese Folding Screen is a richly illustrated book that presents a unique exchange between the Japanese folding screen maker Koto Kataoka and five contemporary artists based in Sweden. The book brings together and deepens every aspect of the project – from the initial workshop and exhibitions at Konstnärshuset and the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities (Östasiatiska Museet) in Sweden in 2021, to the final exhibition at the Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo in 2022.

Through a combination of text and photo documentation, the book captures the cross-cultural collaboration and explores how Ylva Carlgren, Inez Jönsson, Martin Kozlowski, Juri Markkula, and Karl Patric Näsman interpret and transform the folding screen within their contemporary artistic practices. While highlighting each artist’s individual approach, the reader in this book is invited into the workshops, materials, and a detailed documentation of the final ten works, all explored in relation to the form, material, and cultural tradition of the Japanese folding screen. Ylva Carlgren, Inez Jönsson, and Karl Patric Näsman share a deep connection to craftsmanship, reflected in their choice of materials and time-intensive, meticulous processes. In a different but complementary direction, Markkula and Kozlowski incorporate digital aesthetics and technologies into their work. Markkula’s pieces are shaped by industrial manufacturing techniques and machine-based processes, while Kozlowski uses a layered painting method influenced by digital editing aesthetics.

The book also features in-depth descriptions of the materials and and the places of origin that were essential to the project, including Niigata, known for its dense cedar forests and vibrant woodworking industry, and Echizen in Fukui Prefecture, renowned for its handmade washi paper. In September 2024, Karl Patric Näsman returned to Japan to conduct further research and document these significant locations together with Kataoka, resulting in valuable new encounters and documentation that further enrich the book’s context.

Koto Kataoka (b. 1988, Tokyo) is a third-generation byōbu maker and CEO of Kataoka Byoubu, founded in 1946 in Sumida, Tokyo. He studied economics and management at Dokkyo University before dedicating himself to the family craft, training for two years at Marukawa Yuhei Shoten. His work explores the intersection of traditional Japanese folding screen techniques and contemporary expression. Kataoka has exhibited internationally, including in Sweden, Italy, Great Britain, and Thailand, and continues to collaborate with artists to expand the cultural reach of the craft of byōbu.