Exhibition: ‘Indigo: A Blue To Dye For’
Curated by Dr Jennifer Harris, Curator of Textiles at the Whitworth, the varied fabric-based objects on display range from designs by William Morris to pieces by contemporary high fashion labels next to folk craft from Bangladesh and Nigeria.
Indigo is a plant extract that has been in use for at least 5,000 years and its long and chequered history is reflected within this exhibition. India is believed to be the first country to have used this dark blue dye, but it was also known to be in use in the ancient civilisations of Rome, where it was also used as a pigment in paint, as well as Britain, Greece, Iran, Africa, Peru and Mesopotamia.
Most famous nowadays for its use as the primary dye for denim jeans, it was formerly believed to have talismanic properties by many cultures.
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