Published to accompany an exhibition organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, and The Saint Louis Art Museum, this work contains more than 60 examples of contemporary Japanese textiles. The texts describe materials used - among others, banana fibre, newspaper, stainless steel and feathers combined with silk, cotton, wool, linen and polyester - and an array of techniques. These textiles are pounded, rubbed, scraped and treated with chemicals and acids to create radically new cloth structures, textures and finishes. The works include both handcrafted one-of-a-kind works of art and mass-produced industrial products. The book also features a glossary of terms and biographies of the 30 artists and manufacturers represented.