"Indigo dye, which is derived from Indigofera tinctoria, is deeply connected to craft traditions in cultures where the plant is endemic, such as the tropical regions of Western Africa, the stretch between Tanzania and South Africa, and the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. A laborious process of texturizing and fermentation creates a deep blue dye that continues to be one of the most sought-after natural pigments for textiles and garments."
"Currently on view in her solo exhibition, Garden of Blue Whispers at Unit, provocative portrayals of Black women explore cultural heritage, history, gender, and personal memory. Individuals whose skin is a saturated blue signify what Abe calls a new "breed of Black" that "transcends social, cultural, and historical boundaries," the gallery says, adding that while Abe nods to "a material that defined and confined the Black body through trade and labor, here it is reclaimed and reinterpreted.""
Indigo dye originates from Indigofera tinctoria and roots craft traditions across tropical Western Africa, the East African stretch to South Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. A laborious texturizing and fermentation process produces a deep blue pigment prized for textiles and garments. Indigo carries spiritual and social roles among groups such as the Yoruba and the Manding, with dye-makers performing rituals for new batches. The dye signals prosperity, status, and identity while also bearing a legacy of cultivation by enslaved people. Ugandan artist Stacy Gillian Abe uses indigo as a conceptual foundation, painting saturated-blue figures and adding embroidered motifs learned through matrilineal craft traditions to reclaim and reinterpret that material.
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