Mounting

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Mounting & Repair

In the process of writing calligraphy, I found that I needed to learn how to mount my pieces in order to flatten the wrinkles that inevitably appear when ink touches paper. Later, as a collector of antique calligraphies and ink paintings, I learned more complex techniques of repair and restoration of old paper, and mounting with brocade edges and as scrolls.

Mounting, called hyogu 表具 in Japanese, involves many processes.  The most basic is ura-uchi 裏打ち or "backing", in which the paper is backed with another sheet of special backing paper. This flattens the original piece, and makes it stronger for purposes of framing or mounting on a scroll or screen. It's the first step in creating a finished piece.

After ura-uchi, depending on my needs or requests of clients, we add brocade edging or gold paper to frame the piece. The final step is full mounting as a scroll or screen. For this final process, I would usually consign the piece to my professional mounter in Kyoto. We've worked together, since he was still apprenticed to his father, over twenty-five years.

1982 Tenmangu drying

Example of Mounting

Mounting Studio

In 1981, I first built a studio in my house in Tenmangu with a long work table designed for me by Kyoto print artist Clifton Karhu.  For years I did all my mounting work here and this studio is still where I paint calligraphies and occasionally do mounting as well.

In 2004, I built another mounting studio in Bangkok, on the grounds of the Ladprao house where the Origins program takes place. Like Tenmangu's studio, it's a pleasant environment, in a park-like setting, surrounded by trees and chirping birds. My Kyoto mounter has trained the Thai staff in traditional mounting and backing techniques, and we like to believe that we are one of the very few, hopefully the best, of the traditional-style mounters in Southeast Asia.

Edging:  Brocade Borders for Calligraphies and Old Paintings
At request, we can add brocade borders to calligraphies by me or to antique art works. We provide a choice of brocades and colors; the width of the edging is also up to you.  The cost of having a calligraphy or painting "edged" with brocade ranges from $50~$80 per piece depending on the style of edging.

Backing and Mounting for Clients
In general my staff in Bangkok and the professional mounter in Kyoto work on my calligraphies and antique pieces from my collection. However, we also do mounting work for other artists and collectors.

We can do simple backing of paintings on rice paper; or frame them with brocade (we have a wide variety of brocades to choose from) or gold paper; or if the client wants a fully mounted scroll or screen, this can be arranged to specifications: height, color of paper or brocade, and so forth.

We do most backing and basic framing with brocade in Bangkok, including  repair and restoration of antique paintings.  However, very valuable antique pieces, or art works that require special professional work, as well as mounting of full scrolls and screens, we do in Japan.

For further details about ordering or prices, please address queries to origin@truemail.co.th

Ladprao Studio

Tenmangu Studio

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