Photo Gallery: 'Recycling: Washi Tales'
Last week, audiences at Asia Society were treated to two performances of Recycling: Washi Tales, a piece directed by Elise Thoron in collaboration with Japanese paper artist and designer Kyoko Ibe.
The performances by the talented ensemble of actors, musicians, and set designers used washi — Japanese handmade paper — to create four separate scenes that told a story about spiritual devotion, beauty, love, and tragedy.
Much like the repurposed washi used in each set, these tales have been passed on from generations, constantly being reinterpreted and reimagined. Thoron, Ibe, and their cast also held a special workshop on March 26, letting audiences try their hand at playing the instruments used in the performance and making washi for themselves.