Roots: Crafting Connections to Place

Explore a series of naturally dyed textiles by Reify and Child of Society, showcasing their explorations into how design and craft can be utilised to deepen our connection to place.

Child of Society explores how place shapes culture and identity, weaving together the artist’s Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage with her upbringing in Far North Queensland. By focusing on the environment as the source of cultural motifs, her pieces suggest that a deeper connection to the land can foster an understanding of culture and heritage. By employing natural dye techniques that have been sustainably practiced for thousands of years, she builds an ongoing relationship with the lands, seas and traditions that shape her.

Reify works with foraged and found materials, approaching design with an ecocentric philosophy that positions the environment as a collaborator. The act of ethical foraging cultivates familiarity with place, it is an ever evolving process that nurtures intimacy with the environment over time. Combining embellishment techniques such as embroidery and needle felting with fabrics dyed using foraged materials, they create pieces that evoke the environment that they draw colour from.

Attendees are invited to learn about and experience the techniques used in the exhibition by participating in workshops. The first workshop will be run by Reify, focusing on foraged natural dyes and needle felting as a surface embellishment. The second workshop will be run by Child of Society and will be exploring traditional indigo dye techniques, and experiments with indigo as an overdye.

This exhibition and workshop series was made possible by the generosity of ima Asa Yoru, where the events will take place.