Transform

The team at Mingei spent the summer transforming our galleries for the opening of Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo–our first time ever devoting the entire space to one exhibition. What has emerged is a global journey through indigo’s past into its vibrant present. Tending to the plants and indigo dye vat is a living tradition, one that leaves space for the creativity of each artisan as they preside over the magical process. Blue Gold will be on view until mid-March during which time Mingei hopes to spark many creative and transformative moments through learning, making, traveling, and even tasting!

An afternoon in Mingei’s library might begin with a meandering curiosity, the search for an answer to a burning question, or a jolt of inspiration. Leafing through a pile of art books while enjoying a seat at the Nakashima table? For many, it doesn’t get much better, and each page can offer a fresh spark of momentum.

As a museum of craft arts, we understand the gratifying feeling of working with your hands to string a new idea into existence. We have a variety of tactile programs available through the fall and winter. From the first stitch to the final dip in the dye vat, each process of transforming materials into a work of art is delightfully unique, and we invite you to try something new at Mingei. Prefer to get creative at home? Shop Mingei is stocked with kits for experimenting with indigo and natural pigments at your own pace.

At ARTIFACT, international flavors merge with artistic expression, and sharing a meal is the perfect time to exchange new perspectives after a visit to the galleries. If you haven’t yet tried one of the monthly themed cultural dinners, consider this your nudge! You won’t regret it.

Getty's PST ART initiative is taking place across southern California for the next several months. If you are able, I encourage you to visit some of the other brilliant PST ART: Art & Science Collide exhibitions, including several right here in San Diego, each offering a new and often surprising lens on the connection between art and science.

I hope you find a few moments this fall season that light up your mind and spirit. These extraordinary occurrences gradually transform each of us, enriching our lives and deepening our connection with one another. Thank you for visiting, and we'll see you soon at Mingei!

Jessica Hanson York
Executive Director & CEO

A magnificent highlight of the exhibition, Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo, is an installation by Porfirio Gutiérrez, a Zapotec-American textile artist based in Ventura, California. The commissioned work consists of eight panels made of white wool, handwoven by Gutiérrez, which have been dipped into a bath of natural indigo. Each panel has distinctive, billowing clouds of blue and white formed by the movement of the dye onto the wool—some are inky, resembling the night sky, and others are filled with passages of light. The panels feature swirling masses of butterflies in various shades of blue which have been felted onto the textiles. The woven works are installed in an oval-shaped space with an opening on each end; once entering the space, a visitor is immersed in the clouded sky and swarms of butterflies. The work is entitled Temporary Spaces. Gutiérrez likens the migration of the monarch butterflies to the movement of people across borders—they move to survive, and to save their species, landing and congregating in temporary homes.

Porfirio Gutiérrez lives and works in California but is descended from a generation of family weavers and dyers located in a small community outside of Oaxaca, Mexico. He began weaving at the age of twelve and learned loomcraft in addition to working with dyes at his home with his parents and family. Gutiérrez left Mexico for the U.S. and also left weaving for a time but then rediscovered his art. In a new home, he found freedom to explore new subjects and push the boundaries of his work. He, together with other makers, is revitalizing the use of natural indigo and natural dyes in Oaxaca and the U.S. His work reflects his thinking on indigeneity, the phenomenon of tourism, and the false boundaries between art and craft. He draws inspiration from many sources, ranging from Zapotec iconography and cultural wisdom to contemporary geopolitics and the art market itself. He uses traditional technology of dyes and materials and redefines Zapotec weaving language to create works that speak to his creative vision of the complexity of the Americas today. 

Hear more of Porfirio Gutiérrez' story from a video on display in tandem with Temporary Spaces on view now.

No two people experience an exhibition the same way. We each bring our personal lived experience, depth of knowledge, and level of interest to the table. In this section, hear from Mingei team members about their interaction and involvement with Blue Gold, and see from the perspective of a Docent, Exhibition Designer, and Lead Visitor Experience Associate.

When I think of the physical manifestation of purple, I envision plants—fragrant herbs such as lavender and deeply pigmented flowers such as the morning glory. However, when I consider symbols or words associated with purple, my mind instantly goes to royalty and power. While this personal connection exists due to the various art history classes I've taken, I never paid any mind to the reason why purple is linked to royalty, or more broadly, social class. In this Unfolding story, I take a brief look into purple and its connection to textiles, nature, and social class through the lens of quilts and fabrics.

As we explore purple in the context of quilts, I invite you to focus on natural purple dyes made from plants, such as madder and logwood, and animals like cochineal and the murex [sea] snail.

Twice monthly this summer, grandparents, parents, caregivers, and their toddlers joined the Engagement, Learning, and Impact team to participate in our Mini Mingei classes. Taking place adjacent to the beloved Nikigator, Mini Mingei is a program designed to engage Mingei’s littlest learners by exploring folk art, craft, and design from a toddler’s perspective.

In July, Education Specialist India Thompson took inspiration from our Cups to Connections exhibition and guided kids and their families through a tea-making adventure, where they hand-picked dried berries to create their own special blends. Our second July session brought out the creativity with teabags as the little artists used them to paint abstract shapes on cardstock. In August, we turned up the music! ChIMES joined us for a lively, musical Mini Mingei, where nearly 100 attendees sang and danced under the morning sun.

This September, toddlers got into the Blue Gold spirit by experiencing the magic of indigo firsthand, dyeing their own bandanas using a shibori technique, similar to tie-dye. In the second September session, they dip-dyed toddler-sized socks inside gallon ziplock bags, making for a mess-free activity.

Mini Mingei is proof that it's never too early to spark a love for folk art, craft, design, and of course, Mingei! Be on the lookout for future sessions taking place on the first and third Friday of each month.

A seed is planted. A silkworm spins a cocoon. A sheep grows wool. Plants grow; silk moths appear and animals are insulated. All this, though miraculous, is what we expect. Beyond the expected, another transformation awaits. Each of these materials is a fiber, and fiber can be manipulated by processes, used by human beings for millennia. Plants may be peeled or beaten, cocoons unwrapped and sheep sheared, producing long fibers that can be spun and wound into thread or yarn to be woven or felted into fabric, transforming the original material from many fibers to single threads and finally into pieces of cloth woven to be used for clothing, housewares, carriers and bags, even as a dwelling and for many other uses. This cloth may then be transformed with dye and other forms of decoration. The Museum’s Frances Hamilton White Art Library’s extensive collection of books on textiles provides a starting point for a textile adventure.

A good place to start is Textiles of Indonesia: The Thomas Murray Collection where you can explore how ikat patterns result when dye resist techniques transform yarn before it is woven. In his introduction to the book, Murray explains that resist material is tightly bound to the weaving warp or weft (sometimes both) yarns. These are then dyed, leaving the resist portions of the thread dye-free. Following the removal of the resist, the weaving process begins, and a patterned fabric emerges. Illustrating this process is a picture of Tambu Rambu Yuliana at her loom in East Sumba, attaching the resist to her yarn before dyeing it. In contrast, batiks, which come most often from Java, are woven first, and then the pattern is applied using a pen-like tool called a canting or a stamp called a cap to apply a beeswax resist before it is dyed. After drying, the resist is removed with hot water. This process can be repeated many times before the plain fabric is transformed into a beautiful, colorful textile.

Karl-Fernand Schaedler’s Weaving in Africa: South of the Sahara presents an array of looms. Made in various configurations and of various materials, sometimes including tree branches, looms may feature ornately carved heddle pulleys. Tools for working with specific fibers–raffia, silk, cotton, wool, and bast–include a variety of objects used for ginning and carding, spindles, and skein winding. In a number of cultures yarn is transformed into narrow strips of fabric that are then sewn together to make cloth of the desired size. Colorful, with intricate designs, these textiles will intrigue anyone who encounters them. Be sure to look for the images of ancient textile fragments.

The richly dyed and ornamented robes and textiles of Central Asia are featured in Heirs to the Silk Road: Uzbekistan. Many of these garments are colorful, complex examples of ikat weaving. Besides textiles, this book contains images of pottery, metalwork, woodwork, jewelry and a history of the Uzbek people.

Here is a smattering of titles you will find in the Library’s textile book collection: Miao Textile from China, Guatemalan Costumes, Guatemalan Backstrap Weaving, Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dying, and Interwoven Globe. On your next visit to Mingei, come in and take a look.

Michiyo Shinohara (a.k.a. ShinoNYC) uses Zen principles and a zero-waste approach to create a contemporary twist on timeless Japanese techniques.

Her works are handcrafted from start to finish—woven, dyed, and sewn by hand—making each garment singular and special. Working with cotton, linen, silk, and sometimes incorporating African fabrics, she approaches her materials with respect and appreciation, striving for harmony and balance.

Born in Japan, Michiyo majored in clothing design at the renowned Bunka Fashion College. She discovered weaving when she moved to New York City and combined this new ability to make her own materials from scratch with her interest in fashion and accessories design.

With a lifelong interest in nature, color, and form, Michiyo loves making impressions through mixing colors, textures, and shapes, and working with the magical properties of indigo.

“Indigo, referred to as 'ai' in Japanese, stands apart from blue, known as 'ao,' and navy, called 'kon,'” says Michiyo. “This ancient color possesses a profound and soothing beauty that has the power to heal. Historically, indigo has been regarded as a genuine remedy. In my work, I utilize indigo for the warp and firmly believe in its ability to promote healing for others.”

Embark on a culinary adventure with ARTIFACT at Night. These exclusive monthly events offer a prix fixe dinner highlighting the diverse flavors of various regions around the world.

Savor a taste of The Philippines on October 17 with guest Chef Philip Esteban of Open Gym, White Rice, and Wildflour Delicatessen. Don't miss your chance to take part in this one-of-a-kind dining experience!

Interested in hosting your holiday party at ARTIFACT? Reach out to our Events Specialist, Sue Preis, to book a memorable evening for your coworkers, family, or friends.

Mingei members are at the heart of our Museum—we are continually thankful for the creativity, insight, and fellowship of our Mingei member community. To keep our membership programming lively and competitive with other local and regional museums, we have increased our membership rates.

Being a Mingei member will still provide perks such as early access to exhibitions, special member pricing for workshops, Shop Mingei discounts, and more. Most importantly, your membership at Mingei supports all of the Museum’s work, including exhibitions, school programs, collections care, and more.

Consider joining us for an upcoming member trip to see other exhibitions participating in the Getty’s PST initiative on Saturday, October 26, or sign up for some of our indigo-focused programming at Mingei.

We hope that you continue your support of the Museum and thank you for keeping Mingei’s membership community vibrant!

*Please note the Mingei Passport includes free entry to the Museum but will not receive invitations to member previews or discounts at Shop Mingei, ARTIFACT, or CRAFT CAFÉ.

Ancestors to the Future are Mingei supporters who have named the Museum in their will or trust. These invested patrons collectively help ensure Mingei will continue to thrive, now and for decades to come.