I was chosen by the Bioart Society and the Finnish Cultural Institute in Japan for a month-long art & science research residency at the BioClub in Tokyo. The following text reflect my research during the Tokyo Art & Science Research Residency in November 2024.
During the residency, I worked with interspecies communication between humans and indigo bacterias. The research revolved around the indigo colour tradition in different regions of Japan and how its processes (e.g., foraging, growing, fermenting and dyeing) connect people to their Land. During field work, I was interested in the stories about indigo, how people talk to the vat and finding a way to communicate with it while creating it. These exchanges with the living organisms inside the indigo vat and indigo experts deeply touched upon questions of interspecies communication and belonging to a place through craft, gestures and stories. This research is about attempts to talk to the vat, telling stories of makers working with indigo, their craft and relationship to the Land.
Field Work
During my time in Japan, I visited different indigo experts wishing to learn more about their practice and connection with the Land. I feel grateful for meeting each of them, for their openness and passion. Beyond connecting with them and their practice, I also wanted to connect them with each other.
NORABI
NORABI studio is situated alongside rice fields and is integrated into its local environment. The concepts and ways of dyeing are very much grounded in its local soil, what is taken from it and what returns to do. More than being a dyeing technique, Ayaki Shinada focuses on its cycle and the contemporaneity of the practice. If the ingredients are taken locally, the water and the vat can be returned to the soil and help its growth. Ayaki Shinada’s approach is combining traditional knowledge from Tokushima and contemporary thinking which make her piece look unique in shapes and colours.
NORABI workshop and the different ingredients for an indigo vat, picture by Lau Kaker
During the workshop, I learned that there are two types of traditional ways of making the vats. The oldest Japanese traditional way uses sukumo and wood ash water mixed together. More recent techniques add local shellash and other nutrients for the bacterias.
While dyeing, we talked about the sensitivity of the vat. It is reacting to its environment, the pH and temperature, and the nutrients available. Even if it is optimal, the organisms can decide not to grow and problems can come up during the creation of the vat. It is hard to always know exactly what the vat needs. If the bacterias decide to grow, they need human care, humans and indigo organisms become interdependent.
Dyeing at NORABI workshop, pictures by Nagisa Mizuno
At NORABI studio we discussed the different methods of mixing and dipping inside the vat: very gentle or more dynamic, removing or not the biofilm, long or short dipping time, oxidising with air or water, etc. Dyeing is also about being patient, respecting that the fermentation takes time, as well as the oxidation and the pattern making.
The indigo colour can vary with the age of the vat, its mood and the number of dipping inside the vat. The vat and its bacterias will grow differently in different environments as the alkalinity depends on local water and weather. With Ayaki Shinada we could dye and meet vats from different ages giving different smells and colours. Our experience was very playful and experimental which opened up to a different approach of dyeing with the vat.
One has to learn to understand its tradition, its smell and moods, while their hands are turning blue.
SHOUAI SAMURAI
As I arrived close to SHOUAI SAMURAI’s workshop the landscapes started to change to hills and fields. We had been exchanging emails with Masayasu Wakabayashi about my research. I told him that I was interested in making my own indigo vat and learning more about indigo dyeing. One week before arriving in Japan, I remember receiving a video in our email exchange. The video was showing the way to prepare the wood ash for creating the vat. From the very beginning I could sense deep care, openness and passion about indigo dyeing.
SHOUAI SAMURAI workshop and indigo vat, picture by Lau Kaker
As I arrived in the workshop Masayasu Wakabayashi told me about the association and his indigo experience. The indigo workshop is supporting the local community and children with learning difficulties. The workshop teaches children the art and processes of indigo dyeing to preserve the Aizome tradition. They do the whole process, from growing the indigo plant to fermenting it and creating the vat. The leftover dye is used as a natural insecticide to grow vegetables and fruits. The dyeing and growing is done without chemicals, respecting the local environment and enhancing the health properties of indigo.
We talked about the antibacterial and medicinal properties of indigo. I learned that you can eat the seeds and make tea out of the indigo leaves. Masayasu Wakabayashi told me that he is responsible for making the indigo vats for the workshops and learning experiences.
As we started to exchange, in a language between English and Japanese, gestures and bacterias, he ran me through the processes of indigo dyeing. On that day specifically but everytime I met an indigo expert, beyond meeting a craft, you meet a person. You observe the different ways of moving, speaking and communicating.
SHOUAI SAMURAI workshop, rinsing and boiling the dyed piece, picture by Lau Kaker
Time slows down as knowledge is passed on, as you imitate the gestures and see the blue appearing.
Masayasu Wakabayashi taught me how to make an indigo vat and gave me the ingredients. I left with a bag full of sukumo, wood ash, wheat, shell ash and instructions, a great sense of commitment grew. On my way back I felt the need to continue this research, to spend more time with the indigo community and to give something back to them, to the vat and to the Land.
Airoza 藍絽座
I met Cozo Cazama very spontaneously. I visited his studio after seeing his work at a local exhibition. Cozo Cazama has been practicing the art of indigo dyeing for over 20 years and has learned a lot about the chemistry of the vat. His experience comes from a need to connect with his Land and heritage at a time when the indigo community is dwindling.
Cozo Cazama meeting and helping with the vat at BioClub Tokyo
We talked a lot about sukumo and its origin in Tokushima, the importance of its quality and how it is fermented and grown. As we talked I could explore all the different smells coming from the 5 indigo vats.
I was impressed by how deep and even his dyeing technique is. He also had wool items dyed with indigo. Wool fibres are known to be more sensitive to the high pH of the vat and can therefore be more difficult to dye. His approach to dyeing is very holistic and talks about caring for the skin, the people and the Land.
We talked about the bacteria and the communication with the vat. He shared that working with indigo was a way for him to connect with his history, Land and people. As well as working with indigo, he also plays the traditional sho. Both have come into his life for similar reasons: to understand where he comes from. They both talk about sharing with the Land and communicating with others.
He ran me through the ways caring for an indigo vat and helped me along the way. I felt that I had so much more to learn from him and his stories, he met the vat at Bioclub and gave a presentation. I felt honoured to meet him and for the time we spent together.
Okinawa Indigo Ryukyu
While researching indigo dyeing in Japan, I came across Ryukyu Indigo. I visited Okinawa, the main island in the south of Japan. I learnt more about its history, tradition, textiles and influences. Indigo dyeing is very different in Okinawa, it comes from a different plant and the processes are different. Understanding how site-specific indigo dyeing is shows the connection between people and the Land.
Ryukyu Indigo planted at the Craft Center and Ryukyu Indigo vat before dyeing and mixing
The Ryukyu indigo tradition in Okinawa was influenced by the Assam region of India. From the 15th century to the present day, indigo has been produced to dye yarns and textiles. The indigo plants are grown in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. They are planted in the spring (the specific species grown in Okinawa don't produce seeds, but the stems are cut). The Ryukyu indigo plant is protected from direct sunlight and harvested twice a year, from May to June and from October to November. The leaves are then soaked in water. In Okinawa, the single-tank method is used, where everything from picking the leaves to stirring is done in one tank. Once the pigment has dissolved in the water, the liquid is separated from the extract. Slaked lime is added to the extract to promote the precipitation of the indigo pigments, and it is stirred daily to oxidise it. Finally, the water is drained through a cloth to preserve the indigo paste. It takes about 2 weeks to make the paste and it is then used to make a vat.
To raise awareness about the environment and keep the tradition of Ryukyu Indigo, the Okinawa Craft Promotion Center is organising workshops. During my time visiting, I met the indigo experts Kazue Fujisawa and Kina Yonamine, and their 3 years old 300l indigo vats. The smell of the vat was very different from the ones I encountered before in Japan, it was sweeter and fresh (they feed it with sugar and alcohol). The colour of the vat was also very different, when mixing and dyeing it gave a vibrant green that disappeared very quickly (the oxidation happens in a few seconds and is different from the vat made with Sukumo). While dyeing, we talked about the different bacterias inside the vat and how they together participate in indigo reduction.
Dyeing with Ryukyu Indigo at the Okinawa Craft Promotion Center
Fujiyoshida Textiles and Kaki Dyeing
During my time in Fujiyoshida, I met Tsuyoshi Yagi who introduced me to multiple people working with textile, weaving and dyeing. I visited: TENJIN shop and studio, SHIKENJO (Textile support centre) and MARUKO dyeing company. While visiting Fujiyoshida, I noticed the openness of people and their growing awareness about the environment. Many of the companies and textile experts are researching ways to preserve traditional weaving techniques and include more natural dyeing options. When meeting and visiting TENJIN I came across kakishibu (also known as persimmon). Kaki is a common fruit growing in that region of Japan and its juice can be used for dyeing. The method made me think about indigo dyeing as it does not require boiling and is fermented. The dye gives a beautiful colour that darkens with time and complements indigo blue.
Tokizaki Studio: Finding Wool in Japan
Coming from a background of working with wool in Finland, I was curious if people would work with wool in Japan. We visited the Tokizaki shop and studio with Gina Goosby, manager at BioClub Tokyo. I was surprised to hear that all over Japan people started having sheep and breeding them for their wool. They had a variety of wool from all around the world but also locally sourced. They shared that the most common breed at the moment in Japan is Ovis Aries (Hitsuji in Japanese). They showed me a special technique called Navajo plying or chain plying, to handspin a 3 plied yarn. They said they never tried to dye the local wool with an indigo vat and that motivated me to try. I spent the day spinning by hand and bought local raw wool to try to dye it with indigo.
Wool fibres after dyeing them with indigo and spinning local wool
Thank you
I want to thank all the amazing people I met during this research. Thank you, Bioart Society, BioClub Tokyo and the Finnish institute in Japan for making this research and residency possible. Thank you to the indigo masters Cozo Cazama, Masayasu Wakabayashi and Ayaki Shinada for sharing knowledge and trusting me. Thank you to members of BioClub – Tim Krach, Dominique Vassie, Ananda Gabo. Thank you Gina Goosby for your warm support at BioClub, Tsuyoshi Yagi for introducing me to textile makers in Fujiyoshida and Shohei Asami for sharing your knowledge and moments looking at the bacterias in the laboratory. Thank you to my peers, Nagisa Mizuno, Vytautas Bikauskas, Anna Mathot and Eetu Vekki for being a source of inspiration.