Orange Box

Kiyomi Iwata, Orange Box, 1995, dyed, fabricated, and stiffened silk organza; metal thread, 7 ⁷⁄₈ x 8 x 7 ⁷⁄₈ in. (20.0 x 20.3 x 20.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist in honor of Hideko Hashimoto, 1997.80, ©1995 Kiyomi Iwata

Artwork Details

Title: Orange Box
Artist: Kiyomi Iwata
Date: 1995
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 7 ⁷⁄₈ x 8 x 7 ⁷⁄₈ in. (20.0 x 20.3 x 20.0 cm.)
Copyright: ©1995 Kiyomi Iwata
Credit Line: Gift of the artist in honor of Hideko Hashimoto
Mediums: metal
silk
Mediums Description: dyed, fabricated, and stiffened silk organza; metal thread
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Fiber
Object Number: 1997.80
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.80

Artwork Description

In Orange Box, Kiyomi Iwata gives a simple piece of fabric the power to tell a story. On one level, the wrinkled texture and frayed ends of the fabric suggest windblown flames. On another, the piece leads us to imagine a body consumed by fire, its structure and “skin” collapsing in the heat, while the intense color and near weightlessness of the silk evoke the release of spiritual energy.