Roots: Discovering Ancestry Through Cyanotype on Fabric

During the pandemic, I found myself reflecting deeply on family, memory, and heritage. One project that emerged from this introspection is Roots, a series exploring my Jewish ancestry, something often mentioned in my family but never fully explored. I decided to visualize this journey through cyanotype on fabric, a medium that felt tactile, archival, and poetic.

How Cyanotype on Fabric Works

Cyanotype on fabric is a simple yet magical process. The fabric is pre-treated with light-sensitive chemicals (ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide in the Jacquard kit), which remain inactive until exposed to UV light. I placed negatives, stencils, or other objects directly onto the fabric and let them sit under sunlight for several minutes. The areas exposed to light turn a greenish color initially, which then develops into the signature Prussian blue when rinsed with water. The process is highly tactile — the way the fabric absorbs the chemicals, how the light falls, and even slight movements create unique variations in tone and texture, making every print one-of-a-kind.

My First Experience with Cyanotype

For this project, I used the Jacquard Cyanotype Kit for Fabric, which comes with pre-treated sheets designed for textile printing. It was my first time working with cyanotype, and the experience was both meditative and experimental. The process of laying out negatives, exposing fabric to sunlight, and watching the blue tones emerge felt almost like watching memory itself take shape.

Unlike photography on paper or digital images, cyanotype on fabric adds depth and texture, making each print feel alive. The indigo hues evoke a sense of history, echoing the passage of time, while the imperfections and variations in exposure bring intimacy and authenticity to each piece.

Integrating My Family Tree

Central to Roots was a genealogical map I created to trace my ancestry. I translated elements of the family tree into cyanotype imagery, layering names, symbols, and patterns across the fabric. Each exposure became a meditation on lineage, identity, and the stories passed down through generations.

Working with cyanotype also allowed me to experiment with scale and repetition, printing branches of the family tree multiple times, overlaying textures, and letting the light and chemicals interact unpredictably. This unpredictability mirrored the way history and memory often reveal themselves: partially hidden, fragmented, and waiting to be uncovered.

Reflections on the Medium

Cyanotype offered a unique emotional resonance. Unlike photography on paper or digital formats, it feels intimate, handmade, and material. The blue tones carry both melancholy and beauty, emphasizing the connection between past and present.

Through Roots, cyanotype became more than a technique, it became a tool for exploration, a way to connect with ancestral memory, and a method to make visible what was previously intangible.

Buy your Jacquard Cyanotype on fabric kit here and help me with my photography journey! :)