Exploring Dye Histories in Bold: Color from Test Tube to Textile
For most of human history, textile dyes were organic: they came from plants, insects, or minerals harvested from nature. But then came synthetics—dyes made in the laboratory. The Science History Institute’s newest exhibit, “BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textiles,” draws on rich museum collections to explore more than 150 years of synthetic color. The exhibition offers a journey through the history of science with stops at coal mines, factory floors, and fashion runways. In this talk, Bold's curator, Elisabeth Berry Drago, will take you behind the scenes to share interesting collections highlights and stories of how the exhibit came together. Berry Drago will examine the accidental origins of synthetic dyes, show how fashionable 19th century buyers caught the “mauve measles,” unpack the complicated (and sometimes toxic) legacies of color—and take a look ahead at how contemporary artisans and manufacturers are working towards a more sustainable future for fashion.
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