Branding / Colo Silkscarfs / 2015

In the project Colö (latin name for “I cultivate”) the use of plants housed at the Icelandic institute of natural history was influential. The institutes herbological samples, some up to 130 years old, where photographed and nine types specifically selected.

These nine plants where chosen for their significant role in Iceland’s traditional folk remedies and their association to folklore. Folk remedies are a form of treatment that aims at protection from evil and the achievement of some specific goals. The herbs were also used as amulets and they were even believed to hold certain magical abilities. For instance in the book Íslenzkir þjóðhættir by Jónas Jónasson from Hrafngils there is a claim that White dryas where used to attract financial wealth.

The projects intention was to convert the power of these Icelandic plants into three varieties of silk scarfs. In each of the three silk scarfs you will find three types of plants and multiple varieties of each specimen. The composition of the artworks creates a flowing and colourful prints which is designed from natural forms.