RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The Natural Dyes Exhibition at the History Museum

The exhibition aims to capitalize on the results of scientific research and to value natural dyes as a resource in contemporary art

Foto: mnir.ro
Foto: mnir.ro

, 02.11.2024, 18:17

The National History Museum of Romania (NHMR) presents, starting in mid-September, a new exhibition: “Natural dyes. From museum scientific research to contemporary art”. The exhibition aims to capitalize on the results of scientific research and to value natural dyes as a resource in contemporary art, to create a connection between contemporary and traditional textiles through dyes, and to capitalize on the results of interdisciplinary research by making information available to the general public. About the concept of the exhibition, we spoke with its co-curator, Irina Petroviciu, chemical researcher:

“Through natural dyes we try to connect, on the one hand, museum textile pieces, museum heritage, so to speak, with traditional textiles and contemporary textiles, somehow making the results of scientific research available to the general public. Natural dyes are the main piece, the main concept of the exhibition. Everything is built around them. Through my concerns as a chemistry researcher, I try to study the Romanian textile heritage from the perspective of dye analysis. These studies are based on the fact that all the textiles we see in museum pieces until the late 19th century, when synthetic dyes became available, were dyed with natural dyes. Natural dyes, which can be extracted from plants, insects, fungi, mollusks or lichens, were originally used, each of them only locally. Later, some of them began to be traded, the beginning of trade being linked to historical events or geographical discoveries.”

What does the exhibition propose, from the point of view of natural dyes research?

With the analytical techniques available today, we can identify natural dyes and the biological source they belong to, and help place historical pieces in context based on dye analysis. In the exhibition, on the one hand, we present natural dyes, characterizing them from different perspectives, on the one hand from the point of view of the structure, of the dyeing methodology, obviously this is related to the structure. Some dyes are more stable to the action of environmental factors, others less stable in museum textiles. Obviously, we will find the most stable ones. Also, in the exhibition you will be able to see textiles dyed with natural dyes. In addition to the story of the dyes in historical textile pieces, you will be able to find in the exhibition information about the dyes from plants that we come across in our daily life, and which could possibly also be used for dyeing. These are invasive plants. They are simply plants that we have, for example in the garden, using them, picking and using them as dyes we could practically have a more beautiful garden and at the same time, some naturally colored textile pieces. They are also dyes that we have in the leftovers that are obtained from household activities. It’s about avocado seeds, berries, dyes from pomegranate peels, onion skins are very well known and many others.”

Irina Petroviciu tells us what visitors to the “Natural dyes” exhibition at NHMR can see:

“In a first part we have liturgical textile pieces from the collection of the National History Museum of Romania, the National Art Museum of Romania and the Putna Monastery, mainly, which were characterized from the perspective of natural dyes. Another area of the exhibition is dedicated to traditional textiles. We wanted to see, through studies made on textile pieces from Romanian museum collections, to what extent dyes were still used at the end of the 19th century. The exhibition continues with the description of several recent projects dedicated to natural dyes, and they make the transition to contemporary art. Natural dyes are present in the contemporary world, on the one hand in new traditional textiles, but on the other hand, also in the creations of contemporary artists. We have examples of this work in the exhibition. So you must see the exhibition, because it is very difficult to describe. They are works by established artists, some of whom are used to working with natural dyes, others taking it as a challenge. And, likewise, there are works by young artists at the beginning of the road, who use natural dyes.”

At the end, Irina Petroviciu tells us when the exhibition can be visited and what other activities does MNIR propose:

It was announced until the end of October, but will definitely be extended until the end of November. We are preparing events associated with the exhibition, and probably during November we will organize painting workshops.”

Foto: facebook.com/Clara.the.Romanian.school.teacher
World of Culture Saturday, 23 November 2024

Romanian recent award-winning film productions

Clara is a feature-length film directed by Sabin Dorohoi. A fresh production, with a strong impact, focusing on a major and necessary topic, Clara...

Romanian recent award-winning film productions
World of Culture Saturday, 16 November 2024

The New Year that Never Came

The New Year that Never Came, written and directed by Bogdan Mureșanu, was proposed on the list of films that will be considered for nomination at...

The New Year that Never Came
Festivalul Național de Teatru (sursa foto: Festivalul Național de Teatru)
World of Culture Saturday, 09 November 2024

The National Theater Festival

The 34th edition of the National Theatre Festival, hosted by theatres and various non-conventional spaces in Bucharest, turned into a true marathon...

The National Theater Festival
Foto: Adi Mărineci
World of Culture Saturday, 26 October 2024

EXT. CAR. NIGHT, a new film by Andrei Crețulescu

EXT. CAR. NIGHT, the second feature film directed and written by Andrei Crețulescu, stars four emblematic actors of the new wave who play multiple...

EXT. CAR. NIGHT, a new film by Andrei Crețulescu
World of Culture Saturday, 12 October 2024

Ciao, Italy! Animest 19

After having gathered 15 thousand viewers in front of the cinema screens at the previous edition, the International Animation Film Festival –...

Ciao, Italy! Animest 19
World of Culture Saturday, 05 October 2024

Bestiary, a Vanner Collective project

The independent theatre company Vanner Collective is known for its original initiatives in the Romanian cultural space, translating burning social...

Bestiary, a Vanner Collective project
World of Culture Saturday, 28 September 2024

Niko Becker, Gopo Film Festival’s Young Hopeful

28Actor Niko Becker in 2024 scooped the Gopo Award in the Young Hopefuls category as part of the Gopo Film Festival, for Dumitru, his role in the...

Niko Becker, Gopo Film Festival’s Young Hopeful
World of Culture Saturday, 21 September 2024

Anonimul International Independent Film Festival

The best Romanian short film at the Anonimul International Independent Film Festival was designated “(In) the Circle”, by Andreea...

Anonimul International Independent Film Festival

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company