Indigo River, Clothbound Sea

The Indigo River series follows the journey of the ancient dye from its Greek origins (meaning the ‘Indian’ plant) to its colonial and geographic history as it found its way to Japan via the silk route. It was a commodity so precious it was called ‘Blue Gold’, exploited by the British Raj in India and the cause of a famine in Bengal, the country of Majeda Clarke's birth. Yet despite its brutal history, its beauty and medicinal qualities are revered throughout the world. 

Indigo production in Bengal largely ceased as a result of British Rule and these hand dyed, woven silk pieces are a way of reappropriating and returning the narrative to Bengal in a new form. This installation explores the ancient interconnection between Japan and India through indigo woven cloth to reveal shared values of repair and reinvention.