EVENTS & WORKSHOPS
INDIGO GIANT - EVENTS & WORKSHOPS
20TH MARCH | SOHO POLY
During the British Raj, to meet the world's insatiable need for blue, vast swathes of the Bengali countryside were given over to the cultivation of the indigo plant. But indigo cultivation was only possible under brutal conditions created by British planters. The atrocities committed by the planters triggered an extraordinary revolution that changed Bengal forever.
In concert with the run of our new play Indigo Giant at Soho Poly, on the 20th March we are presenting a programme of events exploring the story of indigo.
11.00-13.00 | INDIGO DYEING WORKSHOP
13.30-15.15 | INDIGO GIANT - MATINEE
16.30-18.30| CONFRONTING THE INDIGO GIANT -TALK
19.45-21.30 | INDIGO GIANT - EVENING PERFORMANCE
Workshop led by
Luisa Uribe
Textile Artist & Co-founder of Indigo Garden London
INDIGO DYEING WORKSHOP
11.00-13.00
Discover the magic of Indigo dyeing and make your own unique piece of wearable art. In this relaxed hands-on workshop you will design a resist pattern by pleating and binding your fabric and then hand-dyeing it in a natural Indigo vat. You will take home a beautiful organic cotton neck scarf made by you, taught in the iconic settings of the Soho Poly by Indigo specialist Luisa Uribe.
Luisa Uribe is a textile artist co-founder of Indigo Garden London, a place dedicated to growing indigo-bearing plants and promoting slow and sustainable textile dyeing. Luisa spent several years living in Japan where she discovered a true love for indigo dyeing. It was here she began the study of traditional Japanese textile techniques and where her art has been exhibited. Her ongoing research on indigo growing and different dyeing practices around the world has led her to undertake further fieldwork in Japan, India and Vietnam and to learn from artisans and master dyers from West Africa, Europe and America. Luisa has been growing indigo since 2019, from which she extracts pigment to dye, paint and make other artist’s materials such as inks and watercolour paints. Luisa runs indigo related workshops in the UK and abroad, hoping to keep sharing her passion for indigo with many others.
Find more information on her website www.indigobluefields.com
Instagram @indigobluefields , @indigo_garden_london
If you can, please bring an apron with you and a jar to take leftover dye home with you!
Workshop led by
Ben Musgrave
Playwright of Indigo Giant
Professor MMR Jahangir
Soil Scientist
Living Blue
Natural Indigo Producers
Aranya
Pioneers in Sustainable Dyeing
Jenny Balfour-Paul
Dyer and Indigo expert
Han Ates
Of Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, craft denim makers
CONFRONTING THE INDIGO GIANT
INDIGO, SUSTAINABILITY & FASHION
TALK & DISCUSSION - 16.30
The story of indigo is a deep and wide-ranging one - it’s a story about imperial trade, colonialism, politics, theatre, agriculture, art, culture, faith, revolution - and textiles. It’s a story that speaks to the contemporary garments industry in Bangladesh, where the effluence from artificial dyes are polluting Bangladesh's waterways. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh - despite its 'tainted history', the revival of natural indigo cultivation in Bangladesh offers exciting prospects for sustainability and improved soil health. And what can be learned from the story of sustainable dyeing in Britain?
In this wide-ranging interdisciplinary presentation, playwright Ben Musgrave will tell the story of how 19th century indigo cultivation still haunts Bengal. He will also introduce video speakers from Bangladesh - from soil scientist Professor MMR Jahangir - who has been exploring the potential benefits of natural indigo, to natural indigo producers Living Blue and sustainable dyeing pioneers Aranya. Meanwhile, dyer and indigo expert Jenny Balfour-Paul will talk about her journey of discovery with indigo, and Han Ates from craft denim makers Blackhorse Lane Ateliers will talk about their story of sustainable denim manufacture.
Or further information please contact Ben Musgrave (b.musgrave@uea.ac.uk)
This event is part of a day of indigo events at the Soho Poly - including a natural indigo workshop by Luisa Uribe, and a matinee and evening performance of Indigo Giant.