New Delhi, Dec. 7 -- A large vat of indigo forms the (literal) beating heart of Blue Futures: Reimagining Indigo, the exhibition currently underway at Hampi Art Labs in Karnataka. "That vat, which we set up in October last year, is the most important aspect of our exhibition," says Meera Curam, director of Hampi Art Labs and curator of the show. "It's a living vat with healthy microbes-bacteria and fungus-working with a mix of indigo powder, henna leaves, jaggery, limestone and water. We check it every day to see if it needs a little more jaggery, limestone or heat."

As a textile scholar who has worked extensively with indigo, Curam was clear that a functioning vat had to be part of the experience. "If you visit an indigo practitioner, y...