ABOUT

Textile Artist Parasurfer / Okikazu Maeshiro

While carrying on the indigo dyeing and dyeing and weaving culture in Motobu Town, Okinawa Prefecture, the hub of Ryukyu indigo production, he is also active as a parasurfer, competing in national and international competitions. Furthermore, through Okinawa Blues Shoten, he continues to evolve so that he can bring indigo dyeing and dyeing and weaving culture to as many people as possible, with the vision of "Bringing Okinawa's blue to you."

[Textile artist]

In 2001, when he was 18 years old, he encountered surfing in Kujukuri, and the blue of the ocean and the blue of indigo overlapped with each other. Driven by the desire to "express the ocean in fabric," he returned to Okinawa after graduating from university in 2004 and took over the family business.
In 2013, shortly after she became independent, she was forced to live in a wheelchair due to a congenital spinal arteriovenous malformation. Life without the use of her legs was very different from what she had been used to, and she had to give up her dyeing and weaving work and surfing.
Since then, he has launched the brand "BIGASURI," which combines indigo-dyed fabric with leather.
She always had a strong desire to return to her work as a dyeing and weaving artist, and in 2016, together with a woodworker, she restarted her dyeing and weaving activities by creating a loom that would allow her to weave while in a wheelchair.
In 2021, he held a solo exhibition, "OKINAWA BLUES," in New York.
In 2022, we launched Okinawa Blues Shoten with the goal of bringing the charm of Ryukyu indigo to as many people as possible, and we continue to do so to this day.
"Okinawa Blues" represents the love for Okinawa, where I was born and raised, the blue of the ocean, and the changing shades of indigo over time. It also represents the indigo dyeing and weaving techniques that were introduced to China and other Asian countries through maritime trade around 700 years ago when the Ryukyu Kingdom was still in power. It also represents the "feelings" of our ancestors, who have continued to carry on the tradition to the present day despite the devastating damage caused by World War II.
Every day while working, I am fascinated by the colors of nature and the wisdom and skills of our ancestors.

[Parasurfer]

He started parasurfing by representing Japan at the ISA World Para Surfing Championship in 2024. In 2025, he will be competing in the Adaptive Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour.

The work expresses the blue of the sea and sky that he discovered while waiting for the waves.
As a dyeing and weaving artist, I hope to pass on indigo dyeing and dyeing and weaving culture to the next generation, and as a parasurfer, I continue to challenge myself to spread the perspective of people with disabilities and create a better society.