Leren Li

The construction of all cultures is like a patchwork, and Japan is not an exception. But the craft, boro, is used to make special claims about Japan, regarding the geo-culture, social movement and the aesthetics of daily lifestyles. In the field of contemporary art and design field, boro has become an example of sustainable textile and expression of resistance to the mass production industry. The humble textile born of necessity a century ago, now becomes wearable and fashionable again, inspiring contemporary designers in many fields. Under what circumstances is boro used? How can boro be creatively defined under transcultural contexts and practised as a haptic knowledge in design? This research explores the creative potential of boro through its living history, and focuses on the flow of material circulations through different agents under various cultural contexts.