June 27th – 29th, 2025
10am – 4pm EST Daily
Located at the Pratt Institute Dye Garden – Brooklyn, NY
All materials for the course will be provided. All one need bring is an open mind, and willingness to try new things in a beautiful place, amongst like-minded friends.
ACTIVITY
The color black, in the world of natural dye, is notoriously the most difficult color to achieve.
Aboubakar Fofana’s inaugural Black Dye Workshop is a rare opportunity to learn to achieve this elusive color while exploring an ancient Malian tradition steeped in spiritual cosmology.
In this immersive workshop, Aboubakar Fofana, a revered artist and natural dyer, unveils his techniques that harmonize the vibrant essence of indigo with the rich, earthy character of mud from the Niger River in Mali. His approach is not merely about dyeing fabric—it is a profound cultural exchange that invites you to explore the alchemy of nature and tradition.
Throughout the workshop, you will witness firsthand the meticulous process of transforming indigo and mud into shades of grey and the deepest, most soulful, blacks. The journey begins with a detailed introduction to indigo, a dye with its own storied past. The vibrant blue of indigo is the foundation for the subsequent layers of transformation. By integrating tannin-rich substances extracted from indigenous Malian plants, Aboubakar initiates the oxidation process crucial for the dye to reach its full potential, then adding a carefully measured infusion of fermented mud from the Niger River.
Each step in the process is guided by Aboubakar’s profound understanding of his craft—a skill honed over decades and enriched by the deep history of his West African heritage.
ABOUT THE PRACTICE
More than just a technical skill session, this workshop is a cultural immersion where every moment is imbued with storytelling and tradition. Aboubakar shares the legends and cosmological insights passed down through generations, revealing how every hue intertwines the spiritual and natural worlds. As you learn to navigate the transformative phases of oxidation and color layering, you will also discover the natural healing properties believed to be inherent in the materials and techniques. The ritualistic aspects of the process underscore the importance of balance, patience, and respect for the environment, inviting you to reconnect with nature on a profoundly personal level.
By the end of the workshop, you will have learned a unique dyeing technique and gained an intimate understanding of a cultural heritage that transcends the ordinary. Aboubakar’s teaching is an invitation to experience art in its most elemental form—a fusion of natural materials and ancestral wisdom that brings fabric to life with emotion, history, and spirit. Whether you are a seasoned artisan or a curious beginner, this workshop offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the transformative power of nature and tradition under the expert guidance of one of Mali’s most esteemed cultural ambassadors.
LOCATION
The Dye Garden is located on the Brooklyn Campus of the Pratt Institute. The garden offers workshops to Pratt Institute and the surrounding community educating on the sustainable and integrative process of natural dyes.
Recognizing the Indigenous knowledge these dyes are based on is central to the garden’s identity, as is an acknowledgement that the garden is built on Lenapehoking territory.
We are fortunate to have the opportunity to use this beautiful outdoor space situated in the heart of Brooklyn for this retreat.
You can read more about the dye garden project here: https://textiledyegarden.pratt.edu/.
Dates
June 27th – 29th, 2025
Location
This workshop will take place in the Pratt Institute Dye Garden in Brooklyn, NY.
Cost
$950
Photographs by Francois Goudier and Katherine Hattori
OUR TEACHER
Born in Mali and raised in France, Aboubakar Fofana is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose working mediums include calligraphy, textiles and natural dyes. He is known for his work in reinvigorating and redefining West African indigo dyeing techniques, and much of his focus is devoted to the preservation and reinterpretation of traditional West African textile and natural dyeing techniques and materials.
Fofana’s work stems from a profound spiritual belief that nature is divine and that through respecting this divinity we can understand the immense and sacred universe. His raw materials come from the natural world, and his working practice revolves around the cycles of nature, the themes of birth, decay and change, and the impermanence of these materials. He sees the conception and realisation of this work as a form of spiritual practice which is shared with his audience.
Fofana is currently deeply involved in creating a farm in conjunction with the local community in the district of Siby, Mali, in which the two types of indigenous West African indigo will be the centerpiece for a permaculture model based around local food, medicine and dye plants. This project hopes to contribute to the rebirth of fermented indigo dyeing in Mali and beyond, and represents his life’s greatest project to date.