Risa creates and uses textile as a tool to interpret her ideas, who is very passionate about new ways of thinking and working with people globally. Her work considers communication and interaction working with new/alternative media including edible and sustainable materials using craft methods from hand to digital/machine. By taking math and science as guides, her recent work explores issues surrounding everyday life to rethink both environmental and social aspects.

“I knit milk, I knot celery, I cook wool, and I spice linen, things which are upside down in my practice. I create nonsense to question people daily life.” Risa serves the unique experience ‘Eating DNA – Why not eat knot?’ through her graduate project. The textiles are interactive pieces for people to experience her idea of DNA: coding in the playful way. They are created as multifunctional and transformational products: from tablecloths to garments, meals to tableware and accessories in order to act as physical embodiments of identity.

It investigates how people can express their identity through their interaction with materials. Using Risa’s own behaviour when eating as a starting point, she developed her own system of cording based on a method derived from mathematical theorem called knot theory where knots are used geometrically for understanding DNA. It enabled her to devise and represent unique exploration of identities through knitted textiles as well as edible materials. All her textiles are made of edible or materials from vintage, deadstock, waste and leftover from industries, and most of yarns that I used are natural: wool, linen and cotton. The milk protein yarn that she developed with organic milk is inspired from mechanism of DNA. It could be enjoyed as food but could also be transformed into bioplastic. As well as allowing people to express their identities through materials, this circular system approach makes it possible to rethink aspects surrounding everyday life including both social and environmental issues by sourcing food from local communities, using craft techniques and natural and leftover yarns to reduce waste and chemicals in the process of making.