Nui: Embroidery from a Sheltered Community

by Joe Earle

Shobu Gakuen, a rehabilitation facility established in 1973 in southwest Japan, has had a long tradition of providing a venue for adults with developmental difficulties to make crafts. The goal of this pioneering and highly successful facility was to empower its residents to become active and productive individuals within their communities. In 1985, Kobo (Studio) Shobu was created to emphasize the production style of each person in the facility and is now receiving international attention, especially for the Nui (Stitching) Project. This is the first English-language publication to feature works by extraordinary Nui artists. Reproducing some 50 works that represent a spectrum of embroidery forms, from simple stitching to French knots, this handsome book provides new information based on direct observation of the artists and their stunning embroideries, as well as interviews with Shin Fukumori, the founder of Shobu Gakuen.

72 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2010