The Nippon Club Open Call WEB Art Exhibition “Forward Together!”

The objective of Saito's practice is to raise interest and build awareness of cultural sustainability. She utilizes back-strap weaving, a rudimentary weaving technique in which a set of warp yarns are held in tension between the weaver's body and a stationary pole. The back-strap loom is simply constructed by sticks and yarns. However, operating the loom itself is highly complex, and the weaving process requires extra time and care. In 2019 and 2020, she had the opportunity to learn and practice traditional weaving and natural dyeing techniques with local masters in Peru and Guatemala. Saito is originally from Japan, where back-strap weaving was also widely practiced by indigenous people.

Saito has an interest in forming connections with artisans who create beautiful art all over the world. In order to help sustain their creativity, she would like to be a link in passing down these traditions to the future. In addition to the backstrap weaving technique, Saito incorporated a wrapping technique called Coiling, inspired by one of the Basket weaving techniques of the Native Americans. By combining techniques from different cultures, she proposes a contemporary hybrid craft not only to preserve these traditional techniques but also to revive and honor them in a new way.