colour research
Analog Eco
Project Scope
Sustainable inks within graphic arts
In biennial Festival Analog, the Grafische Werkplaats Den Haag (Graphic Workshop The Hague) explores how innovations in inks and carriers can be applied within graphic techniques and what opportunities and new imagery this can lead to for artists/designers. Analog Eco is a festival at the intersection of applied and autonomous art with an emphasis on textiles. The connecting factor is its investigative nature.
The aim of this festival is to make people aware of circular work and more specifically: to show the possibilities offered by the use of sustainable inks and sustainable materials; to investigate this further and to experience which opportunities this offers for new developments within contemporary art and design.
Colour Research
instability of natural colours
For Analog Eco Festival, I investigated the instability of natural colours. Natural colours often change or fade over time. By embracing this instability, I explored how our graphic expressions can transform.
To create a distinct colour that differs from the usual natural colours used in dyeing and printing, I crafted inks using foraged materials and bacterial pigments.
To question the belief that “natural is always better,” I used spring flowers that contain toxic components. I made the inks with natural binders and tested various ingredients that affect pH values to manipulate the colour.
Exhibition
colour studies
The work on display explores a natural colour palette through graphic, layered compositions and colour studies on textiles and paper. The pieces use self-developed screen-printing inks made from pigment-producing bacteria and spring flowers.
The nine-part installation highlights variations in colour across different materials, with the same ink and technique used in each piece. The colours gradually lighten from the top left corner before fading almost completely in the bottom right corner. The installation is complemented by a research book.
The animated gif from above shows the process book of the entire colour research, including the ingredients used (in Dutch).
The animated gifs below of pages from the process book show the colour change and fading that occurred during the 4-month summer exhibition, when exposed to direct sunlight.
Project
Concept and Design
Laura Luchtman, Kukka
Assistant
Lena Poyard
Photography
Laura Luchtman, Kukka
Bertus Gerssen
Exhibitions
Analog Eco Festival
Pret-a-porter by Anne Marie
Press
graphic magazine RAAM
