Mottanaiis a Japanese admonition against waste. Born of the enforced frugality of poverty -- and later of wartime -- mottainaiis both a practical and ethical commitment to preserve, repair, and reuse. As embodied in repeatedly patched indigo borotextiles, mottainai asserts the inherent dignity and worth – even sacredness -- of inanimate objects. 

However, mottainaiis more than an expression of regret at the misuse of objects; it is equally an exhortation not to waste time. These drawings are not utilitarian work garments or blankets. The labor-intensive process of drawing, although akin to stitching, serves no practical purpose. In the end, does the drive to create beauty for its own sake respect or defy mottainai?