A work by YURIKO YUCO YOSHIKAWA.

Title: Ginga (Galaxy) | Created in 2024

This one-of-a-kind parasol is handcrafted using Shibori, a traditional Japanese resist-dyeing technique with over 500 years of history. Each piece features a unique pattern that can never be replicated — a wearable work of art born from the hands of a Japanese artisan. Made from natural cotton fabric in Japan.

For use on sunny days only. Not suitable for rain.

The Story Behind This Work

A parasol is not a flat canvas — it is a three-dimensional form, curved and alive. To express the vast, majestic galaxy of the universe within such a shape demanded an entirely different way of thinking. The artist faced a singular challenge: how to compose the infinite expanse of the cosmos within the curved, three-dimensional space of a parasol — and how to achieve a perfect harmony of colour through the subtle interplay of light and dark, and the meticulous layering of many hues, each chosen with the artist's own sensibility.

The result is a masterpiece in which the gradations of colour — from deep shadow to brilliant light — and the intricate blending of many tones come together in perfect unity. Every shade feels inevitable, as though the galaxy itself chose to rest upon this parasol. This is not simply a parasol. It is the total expression of one artist's vision, skill, and spirit — a supreme work into which the artist poured her entire being.

The Art of Shibori — A Technique That Demands Mastery

In Shibori dyeing, the areas that are bound or tied resist the dye and remain undyed — creating the characteristic white spaces that define the pattern. This means the artist must envision the finished work entirely in their mind before a single drop of dye touches the fabric: imagining where each white space will fall, how the shapes will interact, and how multiple layers of color will build upon one another. Only through this rare combination of technical skill and artistic intuition — refined over years of practice — can a work of true beauty emerge.

Furthermore, even the slightest variation in the tightness of each bind changes how the dye penetrates the fabric — altering the depth of color, the softness of edges, and the shape of every white space. This means that no two Shibori works can ever be identical, even if created by the same artist with the same intention. Each piece is truly one of a kind in the world.

"Ginga" is a multi-colour work of exceptional complexity. The moment the cloth meets the dye, the entire composition must already exist in the artist's mind — the placement of each colour, the bleeding at every intersection, the precise compression of each resist fold. Where two colours meet, a third is born; where light grazes the surface, a fourth emerges. There is no correction. There is no second attempt. This work is the result of that singular, irreversible act of creation — the complete integration of the artist's sensibility, technique, and expressive power, realised in one unrepeatable moment."

Details

Technique — Shibori-zome
Size — 86 cm × 86 cm / Length: 77 cm (33.9" × 33.9" / Length: 30.3")
Material — Cotton / Dyed with synthetic dyes

Care

Hand wash only. Store away from direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may cause fading.

Displaying as Indoor Art — A New Way to See

This parasol is not only made to be carried — it is a three-dimensional sculpture, alive with colour and form, that transforms any interior space it inhabits.

Open and facing upward
Placed on a stand with the canopy open and facing up, the parasol opens like a flower in bloom. Light illuminates the dyed colours from above, and the galaxy glows within the fabric.

Open and facing downward — suspended from the ceiling
Hung inverted from the ceiling, the work becomes a chandelier of colour. Stand beneath it and look up: the entire composition surrounds you. The perspective shifts entirely — and the work reveals a face it never shows outdoors.

Tilted at an angle
Leaning against a wall or displayed on a stand at a diagonal, the parasol casts a shadow that becomes part of the composition. As the light changes through the day, the work changes with it.

Closed and vertical
Displayed upright on a stand or in a tall vessel, the parasol becomes a sculptural column — elegant, restrained, and quietly powerful.

Each orientation reveals something new. The same work, seen differently, becomes a different work entirely.

Note: When displaying indoors, avoid prolonged direct sunlight to preserve the colours long-term.

Packaging & Shipping

Each artwork is carefully wrapped in PAT-certified archival tissue paper (ISO18916:2007) — the same standard used in museum and cultural heritage conservation — before being hand-packed by the artist in museum-quality archival packaging and shipped via DHL with full insurance and international tracking.

Domestic (Japan) — Yamato Transport or Japan Post, with tracking number.
International — DHL or EMS with international tracking and insurance. A tracking number will be provided after dispatch.

Free worldwide shipping.

Certificate of Authenticity

A Certificate of Authenticity is included with this artwork. → Learn more about our Certificate of Authenticity

As each piece is a one-of-a-kind handmade artwork, we do not accept returns or exchanges.

One-of-a-kind / Handmade in Japan / Cotton

Prices are displayed in your local currency for reference. All orders are processed and charged in Japanese Yen (JPY).

A singular work of art — one of a kind in the world.

In Shibori dyeing, the way the fabric takes colour changes with every bind. Even following the same process, no two patterns can ever be identical.

This is not a mass-produced object. It is a singular work, born from accumulated time and mastery.

The price reflects its rarity and the value of its creation.

This is art that chooses its owner — made for those who understand its essential worth.

A presence unlike any other, worthy of your space and your sensibility.

About the Artist

Yuriko Yuco Yoshikawa is both an artist and a Registered Nurse — a rare combination that shapes everything she creates.

For decades, she stood at the threshold between life and death, witnessing pain, dignity, and quiet moments of grace. She held the hands of those departing. She understood, more deeply than most, what it means to be alive.

When she set down her nurse's uniform and took up her brush, that knowledge did not leave her. It became her art.

Every work she creates carries that gaze — the gaze of someone who has truly seen what a human life is worth.

As a nurse, and as an artist — her deepest wish is to bring love and light to every person in the world.

Her works have been selected and awarded at over 15 international exhibitions across Japan, France, Spain, Monaco, and Italy. A formally recognised member of the Art Maison Selecting Committee (A.M.S.C.), Spain Headquarters — an international arts organisation spanning France, Japan, and Spain — her name is permanently inscribed on the monument "LA VOZ DEL ARTE PARA CALMAR EL MUNDO" (The Voice of Art to Calm the World), erected in Puebla de la Sierra, Madrid, Spain. Her work is featured in Art Maison Vol. 30, published in 2026.

Each work is one of a kind. Once sold, it is gone forever.
Additional award-winning works are available upon private inquiry.

View Artist Profile & Exhibition History

Exhibition History — This Work

• 58th Chubu Dyeing Exhibition (July 2024) — Selected: Galaxy

Questions Before You Purchase?

For high-value, one-of-a-kind works, we warmly welcome any questions you may have before placing your order — about the artwork, materials, shipping, or anything else. Please do not hesitate to reach out via our contact form or directly at info@yurikoyuco.com. We will respond within 2 business days, with care.

Please note that import duties, taxes, and customs fees are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the product price.