Indigo is among the oldest dyes to be used for textile dyeing and printing. Many Asian countries, such as India, China, and Japan, have used indigo as a dye for centuries. The application of Indigo has been mainly targeted towards textiles and apparel and related products in all these centuries. It has never been tried to give a very broad , cross industry perspective to this wonderful , most unique dye in this world. However, the Indigo Museum conceptualized by CMD of Arvind Group Mr Sanjay Lalbhai changes all that. His vision of extending the vocabulary of indigo to diverse materials including but not limited to cement, brick, steel to wood, sandstone, black ash, VHS tapes and much more has been successfully executed by creative head Vipul Mahadevia in a very short period of about an year . Eminent artists and artisans from across the world have collaborated with Mr. Lalbhai and his team to co-create stunning installations and contemporary art works . Also check out his interview with us here.
Indigo Museum – Artistic Alchemy
This exhibition, currently installed at the spacious and old world Kasturbhai Lalbhai museum, encompasses stellar examples of the magic that can emerge out of a creative confluence of minds. On view are weaves, furniture, paintings, sculptures and installations, all of which use Indigo to fascinating effect. The sheer range of mediums – wood, steel, aluminum, marble, stone, ceramics, rubber, canvas, and paper – that further the transformative qualities of Indigo is fascinating.
Internationally recognized contemporary Indian artists such as Nalini Malani, Alwar Balasubramaniam, Manish Nai, Umang Hutheesing, Meesha Holey, Vyom Mehta, Gregor Hilderbrandt , multidisciplinary artist and designer Aboubakar Fofana from Mali, are among several artists who have been commissioned to explore Indigo as a medium. Beautiful craft by artisans from Gujarat, the minimalist explorations of young artists who work with paper, and stunning fabrics by skilled dyers, are all displayed side by side in the many rooms of the family’s erstwhile home, which is now a museum.
Commenting on the selection of artists and artisans, Mr. Lalbhai says,
“Our intention is to highlight the immense potential of Indigo and display a range of possibilities for an Indigo lifestyle. This precursor exhibition offers an immersive experience. I feel privileged to have co-created these works along with the creators themselves. Some of the artists have never worked with Indigo before, and, I believe, this will create an ecosystem that promotes creativity, art and put India on the global map.”
Reference- https://www.denimsandjeans.com/denim-fabric-developments/is-this-the-most-unique-indigo-museum-globally/38647
