Sangeeta Sandrasegar Atrium Commission
I ragazzi dei millefiori: the flow’rs of song and story is a new artwork exploring ideas of migration and the storied history of plants and colour.
In partnership with the Australian Tapestry Workshop, this spring we are unveiling a new textile installation by artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar working with natural dye expert Heather Thomas.
Suspended from the ceiling in the open space of the Atrium, the work comprises panels of silk organza and cotton coloured with plant dyes derived from Indian madder root, eucalyptus leaves, and weld and marigold flowers, among others.
Within the fabric, details will appear, including botanical illustrations referencing a 16th century Italian tapestry, the Millefiori Tapestry of Pistoia, and archival imagery of flower sellers at this site, on Princes Bridge in the early 1900s.
The artwork explores themes of migration and cultural identity through a myriad of ideas – the histories of the production of colour through plant material, the representation of gardens and plants in classical tapestries, the craftsmanship behind textiles, and the story of young immigrants newly arrived from Italy selling flowers in market stalls.
Bringing together these threads, Sangeeta’s work explores the ways in which we have related to flowers and plants throughout history, and how cultural connection is embedded in stories of plants within narratives of migration, hybridity and identity.
Saturday 13 September, 11am–12pm | Atrium
Hear from artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar and natural dye expert Heather Thomas about the ideas behind the work and the process of using plants to hand dye fabric.
Free.
Wednesday 24 September, 11am–12pm & 1pm–2pm | Test Garden
Bring your kids to the Test Garden for an indigo dye workshop with Heather Thomas. In this fun, drop-in workshop, create your own beautifully patterned indigo textile to take home.
Free drop-in sessions, booking links to come.
Saturday 4 October, 11:30am–1:30pm | Test Garden
Join us in the Test Garden for our October open day. Hear from landscape architects and gardeners about green roof gardens and biodiversity, followed by a workshop with Heather Thomas, creating naturally dyed wool skeins from eucalyptus leaves.
Free drop-in session, booking link to come.
