*Wednesday 30th April, 7 to 8.30 p.m. in Arts Faculty Lecture Room 1, 3- 5, Woodland Road:

by Dr Jenny Balfour-Paul, University of Exeter and author of 'Indigo'

Indigo is the world's oldest, most magical and best loved dye. It has a fascinating history and has been universally used in a wide range of textiles. Jenny Balfour-Paul has written two books on this entralling subject, which embraces many different aspects of life, including history, agriculture, chemistry, anthropology, social sciences, textiles, medicine and fine art. Her lecture (illustrated with textile examples as well as slides) will describe highlights of various exciting journeys East of Arabia in pursuit of her research, and explain how indigo is still relevant today, whether in the story of denim or in ecological revivals both in the East and nearer to home at the Eden Project.