「鍋に話し、菌類に聞く」藍染体験ワークショップ　ゲスト：ラウ・カッカー

Humans have used indigo to dye textiles for thousands of years, extracting pigment from certain plants. Most of the indigo dye in use today is synthetic — the relatively small supply of indigo-containing plants, as well as the labor required to process them into dye, is far outstripped by the world’s demand for blue jeans. Not to mention that natural dyeing processes can yield inconsistent results based on innumerable factors, from temperature to time to sheer chance.

Lau visited Shouai Samurai and dyed some textiles. (photo credit: Lau Kaker)

BioClub Tokyo, in collaboration with the Finnish Bioart Institute, will be hosting Finland-based Belgian artist Lau Kaker for the 2024 Tokyo Art & Science Research Residency. Using BioClub’s Shibuya laboratory, Lau will be spending November cultivating an indigo dye vat. Lau is interested in exploring the unpredictability of natural dyes in conversation with their vat and the microbes that facilitate the indigo dyeing process.

Japan in particular has a rich history of indigo dyeing and a unique fermentation process for making and maintaining vats of indigo dye that relies on bacteria, which is why Lau chose BioClub for their residency. Throughout their time in Japan, Lau will tour various indigo dyeing studios, shops, and producers to understand the traditional Japanese process and gain new insights for their own practice. These weeks of exploration will culminate in a dyeing workshop on November 23rd.