The project focuses on researching the origins of the traditional Swedish house paint Falu Red and exploring new ways of applying the pigment to textiles, paper, and other cellulose-based materials. The aim is to deepen the understanding of earthen pigments and their local histories, while further developing ancestral methods by combining traditions from different cultures and placing them within a contemporary artistic context.
This project has been made possible with the support of The Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
Projektet syftar till forskning kring uppkomsten av den svenska traditionella färgen Falu röd och att utforska nya sätt att använda pigmentet på textil, papper och andra cellulosafibrer.
Målet är att fördjupa kunskapen om naturliga pigment och deras lokala historia samt att vidareutveckla förfäders metoder genom att kombinera traditioner från olika kulturer och placera dem i en samtida konstnärlig kontext.
Detta projekt har genomförts med stöd av Konstnärsnämnden.
In the summer of 2024, I visited the Falun copper mine in Falun for the first time, where I joined an underground guided tour and studied the extensive historical documentation and the working conditions surrounding the mining operations.
In spring 2025, I traveled to Japan and visited the Fukiya copper mine and its museum to deepen my understanding of the region’s copper and pigment traditions. I also met with earthen pigment dyer Kuniko Ogura and participated in a textile dyeing workshop using iron oxide. Following my time in Fukiya, Okayama, I continued my research in Osaka with Kuniko’s master, Yutaka Obuchi, where I was able to observe the entire process—from extracting pigment directly from the soil to the final dyeing stage.
In summar 2025, I returned to Falun for a study visit at the Falu Rödfärg factory where I documented the production on site. I was able to follow the entire production line — from transporting the ore to the factory on a conveyor belt, to mixing linseed oil and flour to create the paint, and finally the packaging process.
These images show processes from my studio. In April 2025, several artworks created with Falu Red pigment were presented in my solo exhibition Weathering and Accumulation at Galleri Résistance in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The project is now moving into its next phase.
