PROJECTS
X COMMISSIONS
PETITES-SERIES X FOUNDATION MARTELL
August-2023
"ORIDINAIRE EXTRA"
"Silk Bandanas made from kitchen and agricultural waste."
As part of the Foundation Martell Exhibition "ALMANACH", I was commissioned to create colours with local plants, agricultural residue, and kitchen waste to bundle dye Indian-grown peace silks. This was done to enhance the visitor experience and showcase the resources of the Charentes region.
Natural pigments. Hand-painted. Silk and Organic cotton.
20 Plant materials, 12 peace silk bandanas
Best example of utilising recycled waste foods, to demonstrate local soil-to-soil systems.
![IMG_9145[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c20fb6_de2d41f00e3641a5ac25e334936e871f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_2425,h_2425,q_90/c20fb6_de2d41f00e3641a5ac25e334936e871f~mv2.webp)
PETITES SERIES X FOUNDATION MARTELL
"ORIDINAIRE EXTRA"
Sep-2023
LOCAL PLANT BASED INKS
Fondation d'entreprise Martell who has launched an exhibition titled Almanach, showcasing local resources collected as part of a research initiative exploring "new ways for building a resilient and equitable future".
We organized a workshop that aimed to create something unique and inspiring by utilizing natural resources. The workshop focused on forest residue and local plant dyes, and we sourced the material from Oak and Walnut Hulks that were harvested last autumn. We used different techniques, such as spraying and using bamboo sticks, to showcase the region's and nature's beauty.
I used a collection of locally foraged oak galls to create a mordant bath. This bath was used to pre-mordant the cloth before dyeing, helping the fabric take the dye and giving the most long-lasting fastness to light, washing, and wear.
To extract the beautiful rusty orange pigment, the walnut hulks were brewed in a giant stainless steel vat over flames. This process takes a few hours, and it's good to let it sit overnight and stew. Then strained and prepared in glass spray bottle!
I made a natural fabric paint using the same locally foraged oak galls. This time, they were reduced over heat and mixed with an iron modifier to create a heritage Medival ink recipe that dates back thousands of years. This ink would have been used with a quill or dipping pen. I mixed it with a plant starch binder to create a paint consistency suitable for fabric painting.
Participants had created pure free hand drawing designs to paint on the Foundation Martell Tote Bag. These designs were part of regenerative design and told the story of their research project with Oak ink and Almanch exhibition. The process could not be rushed and took some hours to fulfil.
The tote bags are now a part of the participants!
INSTALLATION
Petites-series X Art@cognac
"Green to Blue: A Story of Living Nature of Cognac City"
Cotton Fabric, Indigo "Neela"A fermented Indigo Vat
Dominique Daigre, the President of the Arts at Cognac Association, contacted me with an incredible opportunity. Along with two other artists, I was tasked with creating an installation on her newly-built warehouse in the heart of Cognac city.
My mission was to bring to life the story of Indigo, a powerful symbol of nature and art, and to express the city's natural freedom and cyclic change in nature's colour. We wanted to inspire and captivate the hearts and minds of all those who would experience our work. After a year, this installation is witnessing the seasonal change by turning blue to green!
Collaboration: Pierre-Marie Tardat And Christophe Martin
Year: 2022-09-2023 (On display)
GREEN TO BLUE - A living colour
The blue on the tissue changes its appearance based on its environments, such as the installation space, temperature, and outdoor surroundings. Once its purpose is fulfilled, it is transformed into upcycled wearable art and eventually returns to the soil.
The exhibit was displayed in a warehouse-style building that allowed sunlight to stream in. The ninth month is September 2022 to sep 2023, and the facility operates with day shifts. The fabric's original blue hue has faded to pale due to its natural tendency to release colour over time. This serves as a reminder that colours derived from natural resources are fleeting and that nothing in life is permanent or perfect. By appreciating these "loopholes," we can learn to embrace imperfections and flaws in our own lives.
A story of a living thing!