Kimonos exhibit breaking records

The latest exhibit at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is proving to be very popular.
 
The fashion kimonos from Japan are the life’s work of renown artist Itchiko Kubota and part of an exhibit called What Do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?
 
Art Gallery Executive Director Jeff Erbach says November set a record for attendance and December is on pace to do the same.
 
We asked him what kind of reaction the exhibit gets from the people who come to see it.
 
“Mostly a lot of awe. A lot of questions about how he managed to accomplish the extraordinary detail in these kimono. (We’ve had) a lot of repeat visitors already.”
 
Erbach says catalog sales also broke records and they had to have more printed.
 
He adds Grande Prairie will be the final stop of the exhibit’s current tour.
 
“It was in Toronto and it was in New York and now it’s in Grande Prairie. After us, we ship it back to Japan. It will rest in Japan for literally years. There is no scheduled tour stop after us, so it could be several years before those pieces are seen outside of Japan.”
 
The display will be up until February 20.
 
The Gallery is open today (December 23) and December 27 through the 30. There is no charge for admission to the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.