Indigo is a natural pigment that can produce different shades of blue in textiles. It has a long history that connects people and places around the world. The dye was once considered extremely valuable, including for its great spiritual power. It was also a precious commodity grown by slaves on plantations in the American colonies.
Artist Antonio José Guzman and textile designer Iva Jankovic explore the colonial history of indigo in a monumental installation of indigo canvases commissioned by the TextielMuseum. The fabrics were embroidered in the TextielLab with symbols from traditional African texts and alphabets, giving new visibility to the African culture that was suppressed by European colonists. The installation was created in collaboration with indigo master Sufiyan Khatri and the experts from the TextielLab.
Yellow, blue and red form the starting point of ‘To Dye For’, which features work by artists and (fashion) designers such as Claudy Jongstra, Antonio José Guzman & Iva Jankovic, Nienke Hoogvliet, Aboubakar Fofana and Nan Groot Antink. Spanning centuries and continents, the exhibition provides a glimpse of the beauty and dilemmas of colour in textiles.