Remiiya Badru Traces Calico and Indigo Histories at V&A East Storehouse for Cody Dock's 'Common Threads'
Remiiya Badru, a multimedia artist, showcased her exhibition 'Common Threads' at Cody Dock in Canning Town, utilizing a micro-residency at V&A East Storehouse. She presented her research findings during a free event in September. Badru's investigation centered on calico and Prussian Blue dyes along the River Lea, incorporating the 'Rhumblines' concept. Her year-long residency followed her previous work on the River Thames. She explored textile production at Bromley Hall, where calico printers operated since the 1740s. At the V&A, Badru examined a pattern book from the Calico Printers' Association, discovering corresponding fabrics. 'Common Threads' will be displayed at The Boathouse at Cody Dock until 6 November 2026.
Key facts
- Remiiya Badru undertook a micro-residency at V&A East Storehouse ahead of her exhibition 'Common Threads' at Cody Dock in Canning Town
- Her research focuses on calico and Prussian Blue dyes on the River Lea and on textile production histories at Bromley Hall in Bromley-by-Bow
- Bromley Hall was a calico printing site from the 1740s, run by the Talwin and Foster families through the late 1700s using copperplate printing
- The Calico Printers' Association donated a Bromley Hall pattern book of 144 copperplate engravings (1760-1800, E.458-1955) to the V&A in 1955
- Badru examined a cut piece of white cotton from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, c.1855 (8397(IS)), cut during production of John Forbes Watson's 'The Textile Manufactures of India' in 1866
- Objects studied included an English printed cotton seersucker, c. 1960 (CIRC.294-1964), and an àdìrẹ ẹlékọ indigo cotton from Ibadan, Nigeria, 1960-64 (CIRC.589-1965)
- A Japanese firefighter's jacket and hood, 1850-1900 (FE.107&A-1982), and a noragi work coat of recycled indigo cotton, 1850-1900 (FE.27-2015), were also examined
- A drop-in patch-making workshop with Honey Birch used discarded denim, with patches pinned to a jacket inspired by Cody Dock's hi-vis vests
- 'Common Threads' runs at The Boathouse at Cody Dock until 6 November 2026
Entities
Artists
- Remiiya Badru
- John Forbes Watson
- Henry VIII
- Honey Birch
- Bella Quirin
- Derya Adiman
- Sally Barton
Institutions
- V&A East Storehouse
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Cody Dock
- Leaside Regeneration
- Calico Printers' Association
- University of Leicester
- Royal Museums Greenwich
- Museum X
- Museum of London Docklands
- V&A East Creative Studios
- Talwin and Foster
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Canning Town
- Bromley-by-Bow
- Newham
- River Lea
- River Thames
- South Kensington
- Varanasi
- Uttar Pradesh
- India
- Ibadan
- Nigeria
- Japan
- Ghana
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Netherlands
- Indonesia
- Africa