Nabil is using the Garden’s collection of plants to create a dye database of colourants, using plants inspired by 14-16th century dye recipes. He is testing and profiling these plants dyes, using his findings to create a colour catalogue and a separate document showing the different stages of the dye process.
During his 14-month residency, he is exploring the Garden in a way that’s never been done before – discovering new colourants made from plants for his project ‘DYE – nature, myth and climate’. He will be sharing the results with visitors, researchers and artists through events, performances and an open-source public colour catalogue database linked to the Garden’s Living Collections Portal.
Nature is more than an inspiration for my work. It’s part of it.
The Tree That Once Was
Nabil created ink from Newton’s Apple Tree, which he called ‘Newton’s Gold’, to coincide with Apple Day 2023. To make the ink, he peeled away some of the bark, then soaked it for a day and a half in his workshop in CUBG before grinding it, boiling it to release the tannin and adding alum. He used the new ink to create an apple installation consisting of 68 apples, to mark the age of the tree before it was blown down. The apples are replicas of a cast made from an apple taken from the tree in 2016 and the installation was on display for the first time at Apple Day in the Botanic Garden.
The Hut of Curiosity
The Hut of Curiosity is a temporary exhibition space created and curated by Nabil. Here he exhibited colour and dyes made from the plants growing in Cambridge University Botanic Garden. A dramatic dye display was launched for Cambridge Botanic Lights 2023 and the hut will continue to be developed throughout Nabil’s residency, alongside his other nature-inspired art installations.
Jupiter's Dream
A short film based on the original play of Jupiter’s Ghost, filmed in the Garden as part of Nabil’s residency. The film blends the artistic visions of Nabil Ali and film maker Tani Gill and premiered at the Cockpit Theatre, London in 2024.
“The film explores the dream state of Jupiter101 during surgery. As Jupiter101 seeks to connect with its surroundings, the scenery responds with vivid, dye-filled visuals, accompanied by voiceovers from the original script.”
Project leaflets
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