Riko Watanabe

Japan and Limestone.
Limestone has long been an essential resource for Japan, deeply integrated into fields like architecture and industry.
This material, formed over millions of years from the skeletons and shells of marine organisms, stands as a 100% domestically sourced resource in Japan. However, despite its abundance, there are growing concerns about the potential depletion of this precious resource. In light of this, my focus is on highlighting the aesthetic beauty of limescale, exploring ways to extract a unique textile quality from limescale—a substance often regarded as mere dirt. Limescale, which emerges in our daily lives as mineral deposits, reveals natural, intricate patterns that reflect the essence of limestone itself. By reassessing the value of limescale, a mineral resource in its own right derived from limestone, we are encouraged to see both limestone and limescale from a fresh perspective. This project, which minimizes the use of limestone to conserve this finite resource, is part of our broader initiative to foster a sustainable society.