Alchemy

Light, layers and tactility – Alchemy features new commissions by First Nations creative practitioners from across Australia who specialise in natural dyeing techniques. Taking its title from the protoscientific tradition of transforming one kind of material into another, Alchemy uncovers the processes involved in producing pigments and dyes.

Alchemy shares the deep social and cultural knowledge that informs the production of dyed natural fibres. Making the magical tangible, participating Indigenous Art Centres have chosen to work intergenerationally and collaboratively to realise works that have not been attempted in decades or are of completely new design. Extending beyond process, this exhibition shares the wider social and cultural narratives surrounding each of the commissions, such as the matrilineal relationships embedded within industry practice.

'Alchemy is an experiment. There are no wall labels; there are biographical essays detailing the relationship between maker and museum. You won’t find the recipes for colours, botanical names or translations into English if the women chose not to speak English. I travelled to every community and walked Country with them. What I saw. What I heard. What I was shown, is exactly what I brought back. If your questions can’t be answered by what you see, the process can remain a seemingly magical one to you. This is how we teach and learn. This is how we work and live together.'
Coby Edgar, curator, Strategic Projects First Nations, Powerhouse

Produced in partnership with Agency, Alchemy is the first exhibition to be staged at Powerhouse Castle Hill.