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Like many fruits and vegetables, strawberries were once only available in the regions where they grew. Through human cultivation and global trade, their seeds spread worldwide, making them accessible across cultures. Over time, strawberries have been domesticated, modified in shape, color, and taste to suit commercial needs. Their distinctive qualities have been industrialized, used in mass-produced products like candy and drinks, reducing their natural individuality.
This project explores natural dyes made from fruits and vegetables. To begin, I conducted interviews in local markets to understand which produce was most popular and where it came from. Based on the responses, I researched which fruits and vegetables were most effective for dyeing and experimented with options like asparagus, carrots, and red onions. For each, I tested three dyeing methods to compare results.
During my research on plant domestication and exportation, I drew a parallel with John Berger’s Ways of Seeing (1972), which notes that paintings were once only viewable in their place of origin until photography made them widely accessible. Similarly, domesticated fruits and vegetables, once rooted in specific places, are now everywhere, shaped by human hands and global movement.
For this project I got insiperd by:
- the book “The Botany of Desires” (Michael Pollan, 2001)
- the project “The Grass Scanner” (Alice Wang, 2008)