Easy to Collect — appealing but not costly

You can buy katagami at a flea market in Kyoto. $35 gets you a scrap of ripped paper with no coherent pattern. Instead, here are a few affordable works to start a collection.

The first goal is, design which should be compelling with a clear subject and, if abstract, dynamic. But something’s gotta give so design and craft are elevated above condition. Signs of use are a record of the work’s history, which is like a patina. The warping of the paper and the stretching of threads accentuates the physicality of the materials. This groups includes works backed on paper. From an archival point of view, it’s not ideal, but to view on a wall, it’s got equal visual appeal at one-tenth of the price. Forego a nicety or two, and you can gather an attractive collection for little. Search ‘easy’ in the catalog to find a curated selection of katagami.