Discover the beauty and resilience of Japanese boro textiles at Tūhura Otago Museum, Tūhura Otago Museum, May 2026

Tūhura Otago Museum is proud to present Boro: Timeworn Textiles of Japan, a remarkable exhibition celebrating the beauty, ingenuity, and enduring cultural legacy of traditional country Japanese textiles.

Drawn from the private collection of Pip Steel of Carterton, this visually striking exhibition features 78 authentic boro pieces, making it one of the most extensive exhibitions of genuine boro artefacts ever displayed in New Zealand.

Opening Friday 23 May in the Museum’s People of the World Gallery, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the history and artistry of textiles that were lovingly repaired, layered, and passed down through generations.

“Boro” translates loosely to “rags” or “tattered cloth” in Japanese, but these textiles tell a far richer story. Created from necessity in rural Japan, boro pieces embody resilience, sustainability, care, and creativity in the face of hardship. Through intricate sashiko stitching, patchwork repairs, and richly textured indigo fabrics, these everyday objects have become extraordinary works of art.

Curated by Pip Steel, the exhibition showcases a vast range of hand-stitched and layered textiles including deeply textured indigo-dyed noragi work jackets, lovingly patched children’s kimono, heavily repaired worker’s trousers, decorative komebukuro rice bags, and rare sashiko-stitched textiles that blur the boundary between historical artefact and contemporary artwork.

Curator and exhibition creator Pip Steel said she was over the moon that Boro: Timeworn Textiles of Japan was making its first South Island appearance and felt honoured to have the exhibition presented at Tūhura Otago Museum.

“Knowing that Dunedin and the wider region are home to many talented designers and a huge audience interested in pattern-making, quilting, embroidery, textiles, and mending, this felt like a very natural fit,” said Steel.

Head of Exhibitions and Design at Tūhura Otago Museum Craig Scott said he had worked closely with Steel on the display and presentation of the exhibition, highlighting themes of sustainability, repair, craftsmanship, and human connection through textiles.

“Because the garments required a suspended display system, the design evolved with a subtle nod to shoji screens, while exposed raw timber and unfinished surfaces reflected the sustainability, repair, and continual evolution central to boro textiles,” said Scott.

“The beauty of boro is that every stitch tells a story. These pieces carry the marks of everyday life, hardship, creativity, and care across generations. There’s something incredibly human and relatable about that.”

The exhibition also reflects the Japanese philosophy of mottainai, a respect for resources and an aversion to waste, offering visitors a timely reflection on sustainability and the value of repair in today’s world.

To celebrate the opening weekend of Boro: Timeworn Textiles of Japan, Tūhura Otago Museum will host a special programme of talks, workshops, and film screenings inspired by the exhibition and the traditions surrounding boro textiles.

Boro: Timeworn Textiles of Japan will be on display at the front of the People of the World Gallery, off Atrium Level 2, from 23 May to 11 October. Entry is free.