Founder of IKTT "Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles"
KIKUO MORIMOTO 1948-2017
My role is to create an environment where everyone can live happily
IKTT – Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles was founded in 1996 as a local NGO in Takmao, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, to revive Cambodia’s traditional silk weaving and sericulture, which had been interrupted by civil war.
In 2000, IKTT moved to Siem Reap, opened a workshop, and began accepting trainees, passing traditional dyeing and weaving skills to the younger generation.
In 2002, we acquired about 5 hectares of land in Angkor Thom, later expanding to 23 hectares, as the site for the 'Traditional Forest.' In 2003, we launched the 'Traditional Forest Regeneration Project,' creating a craft village with fields, mulberry trees, cotton, silkworms, and dyeing plants. Today, the site includes a regenerated forest area and a village of around 150 residents.
Morimoto’s publications include 'Leaving it to the Mekong,' 'The World of Cambodian Ikat,' 'The Japanese Who Built a Village in Cambodia,' 'You Can Live Freely,' and the privately published 'Bayon Moon – Reviving Cambodia’s Textile Traditions' (English) and 'The Wisdom from the Forest' (Khmer). A DVD recording the 'Silkworm Festival 2008' is also available.
Awards include the 11th Rolex Award (2004), Social Contribution Awards from the Social Contribution Support Foundation (2010) and Soroptimist Japan Foundation (2014), the Daido Life Regional Research Special Prize (2012), the Foreign Minister’s Commendation (2014), and the 11th Yomiuri Aoniyoshi Encouragement Prize (2017).
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History
1948年
Born in Kyoto
1971年
Apprenticed at a hand-painted Yuzen workshop in Kyoto
1974年
Graduated from the Textile Design Department, Ray Design Institute
1975年
Founded and ran his own hand-painted Yuzen workshop, Morimoto Dyeing Arts
1980年
Visited Thailand for the first time, stayed in the Khlong Toei slum, and encountered Cambodian IKAT textiles at a Bangkok museum
1983年
Volunteered at a Lao refugee camp weaving school in Thailand and encountered Thai handwoven textiles
1984年
Involved in a handweaving project in northeast Thailand, continuing work on natural dyeing research and training
1988年
Opened a natural-dyed silk shop in Bangkok called 'Baimai' (meaning 'leaf')
1990年
Worked with The Textile Museum (Washington) on Thai field research; published findings on northeast Thai natural dyeing in 'Textiles and the Tai Experience in Southeast Asia.
1992年
Became a lecturer in the Textile Design Department at King Mongkut's University of Technology
1995年
Worked as a UNESCO Cambodia handweaving consultant, reporting on silk production and markets, and started a traditional sericulture revival project in Tako village, Kampot
1996年
Founded IKTT (Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles) in Takmao, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Participated in a workshop organized by the Japan Foundation Asia Center with weavers from across Asia
1999年
Founded the 'Mulberry Tree Fund' and started silkworm projects in landmine-affected areas like Battambang.
2000年
Moved IKTT to Siem Reap and began accepting trainees. Participated in the 'Asia Ikat Road Festival' in Haebaru, Okinawa, giving a report on Cambodian traditional textiles as a panelist and lecturer.
2002年
Secured 5 hectares in Angkor Thom District for the 'Project for Wisdom from the Forest' and presented on Cambodian traditional textiles at the 8th Textile Society of America Symposium in Northampton, MA
2003年
'Project for Wisdom from the Forest' launched and expanded to 22 hectares, . Gave a lecture at Fukuoka Art Museum on reviving Cambodian textiles and co-hosted an exhibition and seminar in Siem Reap with the Center for Khmer Studies.
2004年
Received the 11th Rolex Award, given to individuals carrying out new and ongoing creative and innovative projects worldwide.
2008年
Published key works on Cambodian textiles, held exhibitions in France, hosted the 2008 Silkworm Festival with a fashion show, lectured in Vancouver and Okinawa, and became an honorary member of the Thailand Textile Society.
2010年
Attended a luncheon with Prime Minister Hatoyama during King Norodom Sihamoni’s visit and received a Social Contribution Award.
2011年
Published a Khmer-language booklet, 'The Wisdom from the Forest.
2012年
Gave lectures at the 2012 World Textile Symposium in Kuala Lumpur and the 'Natural Dye' exhibition at ATELIER MUJI, received the 2012 Daido Life Regional Research Special Prize, and participated in natural dye and sustainable fiber forums in Kuching (ISEND-WEFT)
2013年
Lectured and led workshops in Taiwan, exhibited at MoNTUE, and spoke on Indochinese silkworms at the Mekong Silk Road symposium
2014年
Gave lectures at Tsukuba University, received the 2014 Foreign Minister’s Commendation and the Soroptimist Japan Social Contribution Award, and spoke on Cambodia’s silk history at a Ministry of Commerce seminar
2015年
Published key books on Cambodian textiles and environmental projects, and gave lectures at Kyotanabe Steiner School and Felissimo’s Kobe School
2017年
旬報社より『自由に生きていいんだよ お金にしばられずに生きる“奇跡の村”へようこそ』を上梓。第21回女性伝統工芸士展にて特別講演。第11回読売あをによし賞（奨励賞）を受賞。7月3日、治療のため一時帰国中に死去