EspaceFibre: En Avril 2012
April 4 – 30 avril 2012 / Exhibition: Indigo Griots: Tales of an urban dyer – Montréal by Valérie d. Walker
Indigo Griots: Montréal is an intermedial (analogue -> digital and back again) lattice of exhibition, performances, artist talks, workshops, demonstrations and guided studio visits all taking place at Espace Fibre’s dye studios & exhibition space, in Pointe Ste. Charles; 2 blocks from the Charlevoix metro, 1 block from the Lachine canal bicycle path.
The central threads of our presentation are the dyer’s obsession with the magic of colour and pattern; how magic and personal stories are entwined with collective memory. Our binding power is Indigo, elemental power, a diety so love-filled, once Indigo grabs a’hold of a heart it never lets go. Blending residue of Fire (Ash), Plant cakes, Water and Heat we try to catch Magic on our Cloth.
Valérie d. Walker in collaboration with Espace Fibre Artists Helene Brousseau, Natalie Tremblay and Jessica Lemus-Coto, presents an immersive, large scale, Labyrinthine installation of Indigo dyed cloth-panels embedded with layered meanings.
In the labyrinthe are projections, onto cloth, of video extracts from the Indigo Griots, Minneapolis 2011, performance featuring shakuhachi flute and “tellings” by Mr. Douglas Ewart, mixed with griots experiences in Montréal around the dye pots.
Galerie Valérie Schedule open
Merc/Weds. – Vendredi/Friday 1300 – 19:00
Sam/Sat 14:00 – 18:00
Dim/Sun 15:00 – 18:00
by appointment at other times.
Overview:
The Indigo-rooted natural dyeing experiences presented at EspaceFibre include:
⁃ An exposition of Indigo dyed panels creating a sensorially immersive labyrinthe in the gallery
⁃ The labyrinthe performative videos which explore the power indigo-based stories and alchemy to hold cultural memories;
⁃ A total of three (3) Indigo dyeing workshops will be offered in EspaceFibre’s Sun-filled Dye-Kitchen. The Indigo dyeing workshops will introduce various types of Indigo such as: Japanese sukumo or Polygonum Tinctorium, Bengali Living Blue Indigofera Tinctoria, and 100% micro-perl, all using enviro-friendly, non-toxic methods of reduction and creation of an alkaline environment. All natural dyes are sustain-ably produced and obtained via fair-trade relationships.
All activities take place at EspaceFibre; ( artist studios, dye kitchen and gallery spaces) located at: 2665 rue Augustin-Cantin, Montreal, (QC) H3K 1E2, 2nd floor, www.espacefibre.com
Metro Charlevoix, Green Line.