Indigo Conversations - Vat dyeing and indigo research in different parts of the world
The short talk expands the research from the Tokyo Art and Science Residency in November 2024. Since 2023, Lau has been researching different ways of dyeing with indigo, its craft and its connection to the Land. They worked with communities in Finland, Japan, India and Thailand learning more about indigo vats. The presentation will share samples, research and field work done in those locations elaborating on specific indigo plants, ingredients, and ways of taking care of the vat. This project revolves around interspecies communication between communities of indigo dyers and bacterial communities inside the vat connecting us to the Land.
About Lau
Lau Kaker (they/them), is an artist and curator from Belgium based in Helsinki, Finland. In 2021, they graduated with a BFA from Ecole de Recherche Graphique in Brussels after doing a one year exchange at the University of Fine Arts Helsinki. In 2024, they graduated with an MA in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art, with a Textile Minor at Aalto University (FI). Alongside their studies they also had internships and worked with the Bioart Society, Maa-Tila and Art For All in Helsinki. Their projects are in conversation with specific communities and explore more-than-human stories. They have been researching the concept of belonging through stories, textiles, performances, installations and workshops. Lau works collectively with intersections between science, anthropology, interspecies relationships and artistic practices. Growing from those collaborations, Lau participated in residencies and exhibitions in Finland, Japan, Belgium, Cyprus and the UK.