Nell Somerford
An Efflorescence of Permacouture
“Colour rains down from the sky in the warmth of the sun and erupts up out of the earth as raw pigment and the hues of nature”
An Efflorescence of Permacouture is a textile-based installation that works towards achieving a sustainably colourful future through the use of natural dyes. The dyestuff used to achieve the ecosystem of colours displayed include onion skins, avocado pips and skins, cochineal bugs, red cabbage, blueberries and turmeric.
My practice is highly process-based and experimental. This is displayed through the coloured fabric panels framed between the beams, activating the concept of the ‘Architextile’ (where architecture informs textiles and visa-versa). Responding to this are two structural works where form follows material, invoking a bodily presence.
My exploration of colour can be better understood through the concept of expanded painting; where painting is removed, colour invokes its presence through other materials and forms. Through my investigation into natural colour and how they interact together, I hope to engage the viewer to not just see colour but experience it.
‘Permacouture’ is a way of exploring responsible practices in fashion and textiles, based on the design movement ‘permaculture’. Our planetary environments have provided me with an abundance of natural resources that have allowed me to adopt healthier material processes and modes of production, ultimately enabling me to leave behind a positive ecological footprint. An Efflorescence of Permacouture invites the audience to experience living colour, and contemplate environmental concerns such as toxic (synthetic) textile dyes that plague our Anthropocence.
