Tree of Life

Keisuke Serizawa was a Japanese textile designer and dyer who revived and modernized traditional stencil-dyeing techniques, particularly katazome, in the mid-twentieth century. Working with indigo and natural pigments on hemp and cotton, he created bold geometric and figurative patterns that bridged folk craft and contemporary design. His practice became foundational to the mingei (folk craft) movement, emphasizing the aesthetic and cultural value of everyday functional objects. Serizawa was designated a Living National Treasure in 1956 for his mastery of yuzen hand-dyeing and stencil techniques.