emmanuelle moureaux's '1000 COLORS RECIPE' is a matrix of intricately calculated dye formulas

situated on the shikoku island in japan is imabari city, a place renowned for its dyeing techniques – the inspiration for architect emmanuelle moureaux‘s recent exhibit. ‘1000 COLORS RECIPE’ pays homage to the industry of this area, hoping to visualize the delicate and accurate recipes required in the processes of dyeing. moureaux presents a matrix of 17000 textile symbols saturated from a palette of 1000 colours specially created to form this installation.

all photos © daisuke shima

emmanuelle moureaux‘s installation conveys imabari’s dyeing technology and a world of colors that no one has ever seen. created from a recipe of three principle colors: cyan, magenta and yellow, percentages from each are carefully calculating alongside variations in time and temperature, dyeing values composed of numerical figures 0-9.

by precisely managing all of these elements, colors delicately different to each other are created before being cut out into the shape of numbers, connected with thread and suspended from the ceiling. when viewed from below, each individual suspension illustrates the formula necessary to achieve each color, coming together to form a three dimensional grid wrapped in un-dyed white symbols.

1000 COLORS RECIPE has been on show during the IMABARI COLOR SHOW december 7-10, 2017 at the SPIRAL gallery tokyo and at the port community center imabari from february 2-12, 2018. dates to be confirmed if this project continues to tour.