Exhibition Title: DESIGN with FOCUS – Designers’ Adventure
Dates: November 8, 2025 – January 25, 2026
Venue: Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design
This exhibition brings together 11 emerging designers, artists, and architects exploring new possibilities of creativity through experimental and interdisciplinary approaches.
Set against the backdrop of shifting social structures, digital transformation, and environmental challenges, the exhibition highlights how contemporary creators rethink materials, systems, and production for the future.
Exploring New Possibilities of Igusa
Bringing a traditional material into both art and everyday life.
Kakegawa-ori, a traditional weaving technique from the Chikugo region of Fukuoka, is characterized by a simple structure in which large (approx. 3 cm) and small (approx. 1 cm) weave units alternate. Variations in the igusa (rush grass) used in the weft create distinctive patterns unique to this method.
In this work, I found a visual parallel between the structural units of Kakegawa-ori and the square form of digital pixels, and developed a woven igusa textile that resembles a pixelated painting. Through the subtle color blending inherent in igusa weaving, the image of Mona Lisa—one of the most recognized paintings in the world—emerges. The motif was chosen for its familiarity, allowing a wider audience to connect with and discover the material. The work is produced at the scale of a standard tatami mat (approx. 87 × 176 cm).
Tatami and igusa have long been essential elements of Japanese living. As natural materials that “breathe,” they are well suited to Japan’s humid climate. However, due to changes in lifestyle in recent decades, the use of tatami has declined significantly, and the number of domestic igusa farmers has decreased to around one-twentieth of its peak. To sustain the future of Japan’s igusa industry, it is crucial to explore new applications beyond traditional tatami. This project reinterprets Kakegawa-ori as a means to expand the expressive and functional potential of igusa.
In addition, I developed a pattern series titled “ICHIMATSU,” composed solely of pixel-like units. This design is applied to interior products such as placemats and coasters, offering an accessible way to incorporate igusa into everyday life. By translating the material into multiple forms, the project explores igusa both as an interior material and as a medium for artistic expression.
Production Support: IKEHIKO Corporation
Photography: Tsutomu Ogino
