Last museum visit before the lockdown. There is no way the Japan Society could have known how applicable their exhibition "Boro Textiles: Sustainable Aesthetics" would be during a time of worldwide crisis. These textiles were hand-pieced by peasants in Japan using and reusing fabric scraps at the turn of the 20th century with an appreciation for imperfection and a zero waste mindset.
For size reference, the photo below shows 5'2" me next to one of the jackets. These were not huge people, but to keep warm a few members of a family could all fit inside together for warmth. During warmer months, the sewers would just remove a few layers of fabric. These were definitely hardworking garments, and people.
Photo below shows close up of endless stitching and patching.
Artist Christina Kim was prescient with her project "Kaya (Mosquito Net)."
Below: artist Susan Cianciolo's "RUN 12: God is a Jacket"
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