Image: Mariko Hamade, Family, 2020, Amigurumi.
Gift-giving is one of the oldest ways to solidify a relationship. Balanced exchange of gifts has often been the foundation of important relationships across cultures. In our personal lives, exchanging gifts can be a way to tell someone you love that you care, to wish them well, or to celebrate an achievement or holiday. The artwork Gift – 遠足 (Ensoku) - Away by Ayumi Goto and Peter Morin in the Sovereign Intimacies exhibition captures this idea of gift-giving and friendship perfectly. I felt especially drawn to this piece as I share a similar cultural background with Ayumi Goto, and the dolls featured in this piece connect to my own creative practice in the art of Amigurumi (編みぐるみ), a type of crocheted, Japanese doll-making.
Image: Mariko Hamade, Mariko and Eryn, 2020, Amigurumi.
The
idea of exchanging gifts has always been important to me. When I first learned
to crochet and design dolls, I did it to create gifts for those I love. One of
the things I found most interesting about Ayumi Goto's and Peter Morin's dolls
in Gift – 遠足 (Ensoku) -
Away was their likeness to their human
counterparts. Having these dolls made in their likenesses showcases Ayumi’s and
Peter’s similarities and differences. The dolls’ consistent shape and design
highlight their similarities and show they are a matching pair, but the subtle
variabilities in their height, the treatment of their clothing, and the beading
details differentiate them as individuals. I wished to capture these aspects in
the dolls I made of my family. I used the same base for every single doll,
changing out design elements such as colours, hair and clothing to capture each
person's individuality.
By making and gifting these dolls for the people I love most, I hope to express my appreciation for the relationships I have. This year has been quite different in how we can interact with the people we love. Outside of the people we live with, we are told to keep our distance. Without being able to be close physically or to spend quality time together, it can be very hard to nurture and care for relationships this year. By looking to Ayumi Goto's and Peter Morin's artwork Gift – 遠足 (Ensoku) - Away, we can be reminded of the importance of gift-giving and how it can be used to strengthen relationships. Even if you cannot be close with your loved ones this year, you can still send them a useful item, a handmade piece of art or some delicious food to let them know you are thinking of them. Through small gifts, we can bring a bit of love and joy to the people we care about.
Mariko Hamade is a Japanese-Canadian Amigurumi designer and textile artist based in Winnipeg. Mariko has worked at Gallery 1C03 as a gallery attendant and art educator since 2019, and is graduating this February with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Religion and Culture.
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