The Noguchi Museum Shop presents works by Terumi Saito (b. 1993, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan), a New York-based sculptor and designer.
Saito’s work reimagines ancient weaving techniques with natural dyes and hand-built ceramics, incorporating formal and thematic references inspired by traditional Japanese material culture and religious customs. For Saito, who was raised in a wafu-kaoku (Japanese architectural style) house in the centuries-old town of Mishima at the base of the Izu peninsula, cultural rituals possess profound meanings. A twisted rope (shimenawa), often seen at shrines or Shinto altars in the home (kamidana), especially holds a sacred significance. It is a symbolic barrier, preventing impurities or negative influences from entering a space. Saito has found the structure of the rope, as well as its intention, deeply resonant with her interests in themes of resilience and preservation.
At her practice’s core is backstrap weaving, one of the earliest weaving techniques, with a rich heritage across Asia and Central and South America. Unlike the treadle loom and other weaving methods, the backstrap loom requires full-body engagement: it is attached to the weaver’s waist with a belt, and the weaver constantly pulls the loom with their body to maintain tension and keep the yarn straight. It does not have wooden frameworks and metal heddles; warp threads are manipulated with string heddles, attached individually.
