Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev by Hana Mitsui

Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev by Hana Mitsui is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Tooj in Tsim Ntaub, Ntaub Ntawv, Ntxhib, Qauv thiab Ntaub Tawv Competition Category.

ToojNtaub· 2025

Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev

by Hana Mitsui

Client: Hana Material Design Laboratory inc.

A' Design Award Tooj Winner in Ntaub Category

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Colors

The Design

About Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev

Hana Mitsui rov txhais dua txoj kev ua tatami Nyij Pooj ib txwm muaj los ntawm kev tsim Mona Lisa ua pixel nrog nyom Igusa. Ua hauj lwm nrog cov kws txawj ua tatami, nws tshawb nrhiav seb cov khoom siv muaj keeb kwm ntev no yuav sib koom nrog hom lus pom niaj hnub nimno li cas. Los ntawm kev pom qhov zoo sib xws ntawm tatami cov kev ua ntaub thiab cov pixel grids digital, Mitsui tau tsim ib txoj hauv kev los qhia cov xim ntxoov ntxoo zoo nkauj los ntawm cov duab zoo li pixel uas kov tau. Qhov tshwm sim qhia txog kev sib tham ntsiag to ntawm kev ib txwm muaj thiab kev xav niaj hnub no. Nws txoj kev ua hauj lwm qhia txog kev txaus siab tsis tu ncua hauv kev txhais cov cuab yeej cuab tam kab lis kev cai mus rau cov kev qhia pom tshiab.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Tooj

Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev yog tus yeej ntawm A' Design Award Tooj, ib qho kev lees paub muaj meej mom heev uas muab rau cov qauv tsim tshwj xeeb uas txawv los ntawm kev tsim tshiab, kev txawj tsim thiab kev ntse. Cov neeg yeej Tooj yog cov khoom muaj txuj ci heev thiab tsim tshiab heev uas ua pov thawj txog kev paub ntau, kev xav thiab kev txawj ua ntawm cov kws tsim qauv. Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev xav tias yuav yog ib qho khoom uas neeg hwm, qhuas thiab hlub, uas tshaj lij heev thiab tsim tshiab. Cov qauv tsim yeej A' Design Award Tooj no siv cov kev coj ua zoo tshaj plaws ntawm kev kos duab, kev tshawb fawb, kev tsim qauv thiab thev naus laus zis thiab zoo heev vim nws saib xyuas cov ntsiab lus. Pixel Weave Monalisa Ntaub Pua Tsev ua tau raws li cov kev xav tau zoo kawg, kov cov kev xav, ntxias cov kev xav thiab txhawb kev xav paub.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Transforming traditional Japanese tatami weaving, I set out to explore new possibilities for Igusa grass.
I noticed a compelling visual similarity between the geometric patterns of tatami and the pixel grid of digital imagery. Inspired by this connection, I developed a weaving technique using Igusa grass that captures painterly impressions through pixel-like expressions.
By carefully blending the natural hues of Igusa, the image of the world-renowned Mona Lisa emerges—subtle, tactile, and reimagined through a uniquely Japanese material language.
The strength of this design lies in its ability to present tatami an everyday, familiar presence in Japanese life from a fresh perspective, refracted through the iconic gaze of the Mona Lisa.
It reveals the untapped potential within our daily surroundings, reminding us that even the most ordinary materials can be transformed into something artistic and profound.
Dimensions & Packaging: Dimensions: 1,760 mm (W) × 880 mm (H) × 5 mm (D)
Tags: Weave, Textile, Pixel, Craft, Rug, Art, Mona Lisa, Igusa grass, Tatami
Production Technology: This piece was produced using the same specialized machines used to weave traditional Japanese Tatami and Goza mats. Japan has unique looms specifically designed for Igusa, and these were essential in bringing this design to life. As the Igusa industry is a small, closed circle, collaborations with designers are rare, making this a new creative challenge for the artisans involved.
After choosing the Mona Lisa as the motif, I created a pixelated version and worked closely with the craftspeople to translate it into a weave structure. We exchanged data many times to adjust the pattern, then programmed the loom for production. Since Igusa is resistant to dye, the finished piece was coated to fix the colors. Through many stages, this design was carefully crafted into a new expression of Igusa.
Design Challenge: This project marked my first experience working with Igusa weaving.
Since Igusa is typically used for everyday household items, creating a large-scale jacquard weave for an artwork like this is quite rare.
Collaborating closely with skilled artisans, I carefully considered the weave structure and color combinations, aiming to achieve maximum expression within the technical limitations of the material.

At the same time, I also focused on ensuring the functionality of the piece as a rug, designing the weave with strength and durability in mind.
This design is the result of merging my background in textile design with newly acquired knowledge of Igusa—bringing together both experience and experimentation in a truly integrated way.
Research: Colorfully dyed Igusa mats woven with the Kakegawa-ori technique represent a rare and refined tradition, even within Japan. In recent years, however, many younger generations are unaware of the existence of such vibrant tatami, and the craft itself is at risk of fading into obscurity.

Having grown up in a home without tatami, I had little familiarity with it. It wasn’t until a work trip to Fukuoka that I encountered Kakegawa-ori in daily use. I was deeply moved by the beauty of this weaving method seamlessly integrated into everyday life, and at the same time, I felt a strong sense of loss and urgency in realizing how this cultural heritage is gradually disappearing.

This experience inspired me to launch the project, with the aim of reintroducing the value and beauty of this technique to a wider audience. I selected the Mona Lisa as the central motif because it is an iconic image recognized by virtually everyone, even those with no particular interest in art. It naturally captures attention, and its pixelated form retains a clear visual identity—making it especially well-suited to this method of expression.

The work succeeded in drawing attention at the exhibition, encouraging many viewers to engage with this traditional craft from a fresh perspective.
Inspiration: This work was born out of a deep sense of urgency around the rapid decline of Japan’s Igusa culture.
Traditionally used in tatami mats suited to Japan’s humid climate, Igusa grass has seen a dramatic decrease in demand due to modern lifestyle changes, with farms now reduced to just one-twentieth of their peak.

To keep this heritage material alive for future generations, I sought to reframe Igusa in a contemporary context bridging traditional craftsmanship with digital aesthetics to explore new, sustainable possibilities for this time-honored material.
Project Duration: The project began in Fukuoka, Japan in September 2024 and was completed in December 2024.
It was also showcased at a major design event, DESIGNTIDE TOKYO, held in Tokyo in December 2024.
Operation Flow: This piece is an art rug made using traditional Japanese tatami techniques. Though it may look like a digital image, it is handwoven entirely from natural Igusa grass. The portrait of the Mona Lisa appears through pixel-like colored squares—abstract up close, but clear from a distance. It requires no special operation and can be used freely as a floor mat or wall piece. The natural texture and scent blend tradition with contemporary design.
Patents: [Copyrights : Hana Mitsui,2025]
Image Credits: [ Image#1,2,3,4 and 5 : Photographer:Naoaki Yokota]