The Rooftop Dye Garden: “The Streets Of Amsterdam Are Covered In The Most Beautiful Colours”

Elin de Jong (elin WANDERLüST) writes about her mission to research the history of colour from old plant books, common knowledge we seem to have lost. She also tells us about her quest to create a ‘magical’ rooftop dye garden in her native city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

- Elin De Jong

As an art historian I have always been interested in stories about how images come together, what does it say and mean and can it mean different things? During my studies I have focused on Medieval art and iconography, how textiles and colours tell a story being my main interest. Being a maker since I have known how to make, I was also very interested in the upcoming D.I.Y. movement and the ‘power’ textiles and crafts can bring to people and communities. All of these themes together made me dive into the world of natural dyes. In my work I try to show the wondrous world of natural dye, the history, biology, beauty and magic (which mostly means chemistry really, but let’s call it magic).

Next to the visual and historical aspect of loving to work with natural colours, it also addresses current environmental problems we are facing in today’s world. We (hopefully) all know by now that the textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. There are only very few solutions, but a big one is being more conscious about the choices we make as a consumer. Do we need it all? Really? And how can I keep it local, clean and honest? Working with plants that give colour to, basically, the waste of other plants and animals, helps me to be excited about making these choices.