Slow Colour

Slow Colour is an exhibition at the Australian Tapestry Workshop that brings together artists exploring botanical and mineral colourants within textiles, objects and expanded sculpture practices. These works act as a form of archiving — capturing memories and material history by embedding biological traces of time and place into fabric, paper, and clay.

The labour and time invested to harvest, prepare and dye with natural materials is revealed. Through this the artists cultivate a profound connection with the land, transforming raw elements into art through an alchemical process.

These practices are often deeply connected to culture and familial knowledge, and reflect the commitments by these artists to create art in a more sustainable way. While the physicality of this work parallels historically feminized labour (cooking / laundry) these artists deliberately reframe these everyday acts as sites of creativity, care, and transformation.