Erina Kashihara is a Japanese visual artist whose work revolves a lot around clothing and light. In her works, she uses technology to create pieces that change color depending on various conditions. In this interview, she offers insight into her wearable art and discusses her inspiration and the themes she works with when creating her bright clothes.
How and why did you decide to work with fashion and light, or “wearable light art” as you call it?
Erina Kashihara: In the early days of my career as a light artist, I created works using various luminescent materials and exhibited at light art and technology art exhibitions in museums of art and science. In an effort to create works in which light changes interactively over time, I began to produce works that react to human movement, voice and pulse. Later, they turned into works which reacted to the person wearing them. At first, they were like art objects, sort of like a “body objet d’art” or simply accessories. After that, I started producing them as costumes and dresses.
Can you explain a bit about the use of technology in your clothes?
EK: Technology was necessary for dealing with various light sources in my art of light and for works which interactively respond to human movements, voice, pulse, etc. in order to change the characteristics of the light. Gradually, various sensors and electronic circuits came to be incorporated, such as those which change light according to the environment and to the positions of multiple performers.
What are the main themes and sources of inspiration you work with?
EK: As a theme, I work with light in order to visualize what is normally unseen. My sources of inspiration are varied, but mostly I draw my inspiration from growing plants and creatures, from my childhood experiences, from space and from deep waters.
What narratives do you work with?
EK: I am aiming at visualizing traditional Japanese tales, which I have read and heard before using available technologies and connecting them with the future.
What is your intention with your wearable light art? What message do you want to convey?
EK: Many lights in the world are primarily functional; they provide brightness, emit signals and information and prevent dangers. For me, it is not those roles of light that are important, but the beautiful appearance of light expressed together with the energy possessed by people; which is similar to particles. This is what makes me want to create works that are beautiful only because of their existence and not because of their function. I also want to be able to visualize things which usually cannot be seen.
Generally speaking, how do you view the worlds of fashion and art today? Do you think we are at a good point or do you want to see big changes in the future?
EK: From the times when things which are worn were required to be functional, a wide variety of things came to be recognized such as those which are only meant to be enjoyed. By incorporating technology into fashion, I feel that it has expanded wider in the direction of functionality as well as in the direction of enjoyment. This can be said not only about fashion and art but also about social life. Technology, fashion and art all change with the flow of society and that flow will only become faster in the years to come.
What kind of innovative art do you think we will see in the next decade?
EK: 3D may move to 3.5D or 4D. What I mean by that is the mixing of mediums. For example, in Japan, some people call theater plays that feature videos “theater in 2.5D”. If you add a dimension to a form of art, it adds a “D”, but if you mix it with something you only add 0.5 D – it’s all about the various mixes and matches you can do. I think VR can also change the game a lot as well and bring a new way of experiencing art.
Thank you!
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. We want to hear from you! What do you make of Erina’s work? How and when would you wear such clothes? What other innovations are you most excited for? How could this technology be used further? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!