November 1, 2024

Auspicious colours & Elephant pants, re-visiting Bangkok

Silk weaver in Baan Krua

Paper Sarong Workshop at SEA Junction


Talking with my partner at home about current journey I have been on. Not just actual current travel abroad, but the path that is leading me beyond Batik. Or better maybe, the journey through Batik bringing me to different textile histories. The path is branching off it might seems like. 
Since September 2023 together with Dido Michielsen we dove into the history, development and use of the white (European style lace) kebaya. 
There will be follow ups on this research & the recent event with pop-up exhibition. Hope to do an English online version.
I also have been working since January on the disclosure of an archive of a Dutch cottonprinting company, that not only copied Batik, but made & shipped a wide variety of textiles with a wide variety of markets. The printed cottons went to Indonesia & West-Africa, but also throughout South-Asia with a surprising big market in Myanmar. This might be still a pretty unexplored history within the world of textile trade. And it is part of my talk for the 8th IASSRT Symposium, Textiles Trails: Legacies of the Silk Roads in Southeast Asia, (part of ATTS 9) symposium held in Vientiane, Laos. The reason I am traveling to not Indonesia this time, but another part of Southeast Asia, exciting!
This journey to Batik is not the typical journey I got to make these past couple of times, but I will blog along the way nevertheless, since this journey will include Batik & batik making, other inspiring textiles and for sure places I would love to share about with you, dear readers!

My first part of my journey brought me to Bangkok in Thailand. I was here once before in 2019. I got really sick in Jakarta and got to spend only a weekend here. I was in the great company of textile collector & dear friend John Ang and we did a lot! I saw great things, but I had no real idea of this city. 


Dress appropriate loan point at Wat Pro

Yanawit Kunchaethong installation at Wat Pro


My first day, Friday 25 October, I started with a visit to Wat Pro ~ Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan. How could I forget this completely patterned world. I am just in awe. The walls, ceilings, everything is decorated with motifs, motifs that are also in the textiles of Thailand. The reclining buddha, the one lying on its side, is amazing, but the walls! I could only look up!
It turned out to also be Bangkok Art Biennale. At Wat Pro there was within one if the buildings an installation of the ink experiments by Yanawit Kunchaethong.
The colours of his work matched according to the guide with the natural dyes used in the original wallpaintings in the temple. A beautiful sight and curious about the actual natural pigments that were used to draw this curious images of all kinds of animals, tigers & bulls wrapped in sarongs, among other things.


Elephant pants at Museum Siam


After Wat Pro, I went to Museum Siam, it basically right next to it. It is a small museum with a fun & interactive exhibition ‘Decording Thainess’ explaining what being Thai, Thai culture, food, language, dress & more  is. Of course Thai dress was featured too, including the Elephant pants.
I was mostly interested in the lace blouse that is worn here together with the sarong. I spotted ladies wearing it outside & shops selling it. The lace blouse looks a lot like the blouse worn in Victorian times. It became fashion around 1900, similar to the white lace kebaya that reached it best known form around the same time.


In the 1900s, after King Rama V visited Europe, the Victorian lace blouse became popular among Siamese elite women. The blouse was adapted to suit the Thai climate, and this type of blouse has become recognized as a traditional Thai costume. At traditional festivals and ceremonies, from ordination ceremonies and the Loy Krathong Festival to beauty pageants, and even In kindergartens, this type of lace blouse Is the most popular choice.

Ladies spotted on their way to one of the temples


In the evening I went to a talk at SEA Junction where I gave two workshops the next day.
In the talk was included the Dutch artist Mella Jaarsma who is based in Yogyakarta. She is collaborating with Papua barkcloth artist Pak Agus Ongge. It was wonderful to hear him talk about his art and passion to bring this traditional cloth to a new generation. Not just to keep a history alive, but as an act of protest. 

Work by Pak Agus Ongge and Mella Jaarsma at National Gallery


The next morning, Saturday 26 October, I went to the National Gallery to see their work. The museum based in an old building by an Italian architect had great works on display. Next to the Biennale, there was a temporary exhibition of Indonesian paintings and the collection their own collection is great too. 

Paper Sarong Workshop


Saturday afternoon I gave two workshops at SEA Junction, based in the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Basically a mall for Art. I knew SEA Junction through their social media and many wonderful activities they do. When preparing for my trip, I thought it might be nice to give a workshop there. After a videocall I was asked to not give one, but two. One more an introduction and one more in-depth. 
First the participants dove into the world of pattern making with the ‘Paper Sarong’ workshop. After an introduction on Batik & the imitations from Europe, everyone was invited to draw something close to them or what they like. When the drawings were finished, per group they were asked to put each into one design together. It is every time great to see how total strangers can work within an hour together on a motif.
After the ‘Paper sarong’ we explored the Wereldmuseum Database with the research workshop I developed last year. It was fun & interesting to do these two workshops for the same group. In this hands-on way I can bring my work with & research on Batik much closer, it is not just talking about it, it is really sharing.
Thanks SEA Junction for giving me the space to do these workshops.
Thanks to those who joined, based in Bangkok, but from Indonesia, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Italy, America and more places!


Paper Sarong Workshop

On Sunday I got to spend time with textile collector, and expert in woven textiles from Myanmar, Ake Thweep. We met two times before in person, but finally got to spend an afternoon talking textiles. Cannot wait to dive into it further during the symposium!
Ake shared with me textiles he collected that were used to wrap holy texts. A variety of printed, cotton textiles, important from Europe, but also all kind of other kinds, were used. An interesting subject and for sure it will give insights in what was available in Myanmar in the very active textile trade. 

Auspicious colours explained at Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles

Stamps at Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles


On Monday I met with Raffy Sarttarat at the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. The museum is located within the Royal Palace, so dress appropriate, long dress/trousers & long sleeves.
Got a tour by Raffy through the new exhibitions. The main temporary exhibition has amazing ikat {Pha Sompak Poom} , brocade {Pha yok } & blockprinted Chintz with gold {Pha lai yang } textiles in them that were worn by the royal family. 
You cannot take photos of their exhibitions unfortunately, but they have a special interactive one were photos are aloud. The exhibition ‘The Threads Through Time’ demonstrates the concept of colour in Thai culture, which is intertwined with traditional attire from the past and has become an integral part of Thai daily life. 
Colour in Thai Culture Section presents the beliefs about colours revolving around traditional attire customs, from its origin of the nine celestial deities (Navagraha) to the beliefs and practices in the royal court. The display covers the principles found in the Mahataksa and Sawasdi Raksa doctrines and the practice of wearing auspicious colours according to the day of the week.
Wearing certain colour can bring specified luck, by using the colours of the week. Something I never encountered before, and now cannot unsee. Of course I checked what I should wear for my upcoming talk and turns outs purple will make it a good delivered & inspiring talk. 
Raffy gave me after her tour a ‘passport’ with the exercise to collect all textile pattern stamps ~ I manage to find all, a nice activity and I love all the stamps here, also in the gift shop at Museum Siam. We should introduce it too. It is so much fun!


At Old Siam Plaza

At China World


The afternoon I spend in the Indian neighborhood in the mall Old Siam Plaza & China World looking for Batik Print, batik Imitations, I spotted being sold at Wat Pro. They have the name batik as a brand but are actually with Thai motifs. 
After visiting the stores at Old Siam Plaza, a mall filled with luxurious textiles, imported silk from Italy (like what?!?) & meters and meters of lace. 
Going outside to go the China World, I found the fake batiks at a little stall in the street. The seller was so sweet opening up all the packages. She also had new in a version with Moo Deng, the famous hippo from the local zoo!!

Fake Batik

I also went to the mall China World which is even more filled with textiles, but on rolls and rolls with no end. Mostly it is printed textiles, either on cottons, linen or synthetic fabrics.
The visit really connected some dots in my upcoming talk for the 8th IASSRT symposium in Laos. The legacy, as you will, of these European imitation, made not only the fast fashion possible as we see it in clothing stores globally, but in the wat y we produce textiles in general. Although there are still handmade textiles, most are made by machines. And of most traditional textiles  there will be a cheap knockoff copy available on the market. These knockoffs have often by now their own unique market. Like for example the elephant pants used by all tourist & people in Thailand. This pattern, now used in almost any item you can think off, has in its base a combination of Indian blockprinting, but also European imitation batiks. These mass-produced elephant fabrics are actually not even produced locally. I hear rumors of silkscreenprinters in Pekalongan, who normally make fake batik, taking orders to print these pants!!

Rolls of "Thai elephant" patterns at China World

Shop to dress 'appropriate' at the Golden Mount temple


Monday Klaus Rink, my textile colleague & friend from Vienna, arrived. He is joining the symposium too and it was great we got to catch up in Bangkok already. He knows the city really well, so it was fun to follow him  on very fast boats. 
Of course we had to go to Jim Thompson House. To my delight we were allowed to take photos. Apparently the policy changed after the pandemic. The posting online helped with getting visitors to return.
The house and story of Jim Thompson is really inspiring. The fact it has been maintained and improved even, with a small exhibition now too, since 1959 is amazing.

At the Jim Thompson House small exhibition

Silk weaver in Baan Krua

Inactive looms in Silk weaving workshop in Baan Krua

After the house & lunch, we crossed the water to go to the neighborhood Baan Krua. The place where originally Jim Thompson found his Silk weavers. Now the weaving is done elsewhere, but still on workshop remains. Klaus was here in 2011 and his blogpost The Thai silk weavers of Baan Krua on it shows a still active place with multiple weavers & the dyeing of silk threads. Now only one woman was working, on a stunning deep purple cloth, and most other looms looked like they might been gathering dust for a while. But it is still great to see some actual weaving. If you visit, make sure to make donation, there is a little box for cash!

After this visit we headed up the Golden Mount, the temple with a great view over the city. I especially also like the cabinet with textiles, or bags, sorted according to the colours of the week. As I wrote, now I know, I cannot unsee it & want to learn more about it.

Sorted by colours of the week at the Golden Mount

Dress up at Wat Arun for photoshoot

On my last day in Bangkok we visited Wat Arun. This place is beyond words really, just looking around mouth open basically, staring at all the glazed tiles decorations on it. On closer inspection, not all are glazed tiles, also patterned porcelain plates & cups are used. 
An interesting trend at the temples is being dressed up in "traditional" outfits and being photographed professionally. It is fun and also strange to be in between all these dressed, almost cosplay, people. It does give beautiful photos!
The temple has on the base also kinnara/kinnari. 
A kinnara is a creature from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They are described as part human and part bird, and have a strong association with music and love. Believed to come from the Himalayas, they often watch over the well-being of humans in times of trouble or danger. 
So happy to see them everywhere. I wish I can still find a fabric with them as a motif, but for sure it will be possible somewhere along this journey!


Kinnara with visitors handbag



August 31, 2024

I spy with my very Batik focussed eye

 

Batik Selfie, by me, 2023
at exhibition 'Verwevenheid' at Indonesia House Amsterdam


Digital collage to be part of the work of Philip Boas, 
made by Nina Boas for her 'Healing Batik project'

Since I came back from my own Batik exhibition 'Masa depan Batik' in Jakarta, there were also several exhibitions featuring batiks in the Netherlands. Some have already past, some are still on view and even some are still upcoming. So time for a little overview on what you might have missed or can still catch.

I first wanted to share a little on unexpected batik I came across. I am not only going to exhibitions to see batik of course, but it is extra fun when I come across it by surprise. In the fall of last year we went to the Tegelmuseum (Tile Museum) in Otterlo (NL), right under the nature park Veluwe. There was a small exhibition on the use of tiles with Art Nouveau. No clear batik inspiration to be found there, while batik, and Indonesian culture were certainly a mayor source of inspiration. Way in the back of the museum in the permanent display we stumbled upon this beauty, a little tile tableaux of a moth surrounded with two different batik borders. The painted pattern in brown and blue was also finely decorated with gold. This work, 'Fantasy Moth', was made in 1991 by Canadian-Indonesian artist Judith Ryan-Edwards van Muijen (1933-1996). 

'Fantasy Moth' by Judith Ryan-Edwards van Muijen (1933-1996), from 199. 
Collection Tegelmuseum inOtterlo

Watercolour of Prins Diponegoro from around 1880. 
Collection University Leiden

Another non-batik batik work that I like to share is an watercolour I saw in the exhibition 'Gordel van papier' (a wordplay on 'Gordel van smaragd' the nickname Multatuli gave to the Dutch East Indies) on the rise of the printed book in Indonesia. A great exhibition at Huis van het boek in Den Haag (NL) based on the book 'Met een drukpers de oceaan' Lisa Kuitert. 
The exhibition started with a room on how texts were written down and recorded before printing became the main way. This watercolour shows Prins Diponegoro reading or studying or meditating with a religious text written in Malay. The watercolour was 'found' in Bandung in 1892 and is currently in the collection of the University Leiden. I right away was drown to the motifs, not only on the sarongs they are wearing, but also the borders. Don't know why their is a naked enslaved child in the middle, apart from that it is great artwork. The artist is not known unfortunately. 

Tea cosy, batik on silk, by Ilse Stemmann, 1925-1930. Collection Textielmuseum Tilburg

In the exhibition 'Makers on materials' at Textielmuseum in Tilburg (NL), still on display till 3 November, is this tiny Batik Tea cosy cover from silk. A bit in the dark and behind "bars", this hidden gem totally sparked my (never really gone) interest in Dutch batikmakers. 
This artist, Ilse Stemmann (1890-1981) was born in Germany, but grew up in the Netherlands. She studied Batik at the Arts and crafts school (now art academy) in Haarlem in 1912. Oh what a time, to study Batik at school here!. Anyway, she kept making batiks, mostly smaller objects for homedecor and artworks. She even wrote articles on Batik. Gave lessons in Batik, which she advertised with stating she taught in the 'Javanese way' . She was as far as known active with Batik till the 1930's. I find it so fascinating that we have this whole history of batik artists in the Netherlands, but since it is is mostly women, it never really became part of the Art world we learn about. 
Textielmuseum has several pieces by Stemmann in their collection, you can see them online here: textielmuseum.nl/collectie/Stemmann


Textile display at 'De Grote Indonesië' exhibition at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam


When my own exhibition 'Masa depan Batik' opened on 21 October 2023, 'The big Indonesia exhibition' opened in De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam (NL). When I returned in December, it was the first things I went to see. 
The exhibition was made after the idea of the big exhibition on Suriname in 2019. I thought that this exhibition did a great job of telling a multilayered story of all the communities that live in both Suriname and the Netherlands. So expectations for this exhibition were high. I was not involved in any of the making of the exhibition, but I knew a large amount of textiles were selected from the Wereldmusuem collections. When I was asked to give a quote on Batik to be added near the display of textiles, I asked for a list of objects. To my surprise another "influenced by" cliche selection was made with mainly textiles showing an European or Chinese influences. I started diving into many, from my side, very heated discussions on this lack of representations of what Batik is. I mean not even one tradition motif from Solo or Yogya was chosen. I don't know if this was the reason so little textile was eventually on display in the final exhibition and what was shown was crammed together in one display cabinet, but it was such a missed opportunity to not showcase Batik, or the rich textiles culture of Indonesia in a fuller, better, multilayered light.
Anyway, the quote became a text and then became an audiotour fragment with one Batik. This batik was in the display show half and behind a yellow pants. If I had known, I might have done a different explanation or story. So for those who listened to my audiotour and had no idea what batik I was referring to or who got curious, I share the batik, RV-300-1317with the text I made for the audiotour:

Batik Tulis, RV-300-1317, Collection Wereldmuseum Leiden


There is more to see in this batik than the textboard description would suggest. This fabric came from the collection of the WereldMuseum Leiden and was classified in 1914 as ‘batik with a visible Chinese influence’ by museum director Hendrik Herman Juynboll. But what did he base this on?

Juynboll had just completed a long-term collaboration with researcher and self-proclaimed batik expert Gerret Pieter Rouffaer. Among other things, Rouffaer had written about the importance of red in batik made by the Peranakan Chinese community on Java, which is perhaps why Juynboll drew this conclusion. But what do we actually see on this batik?

Juynboll talks about seahorses and people, but if we look closely, do we see George on a dragon?

There are two other angel-like figures – one playing the harp, the other sitting on the dangerous beast. Maybe they are the Greek god Apollo, protector of the arts, although his weapon is a bow. And perhaps ‘George’ is instead his dragon-slaying predecessor, the Archangel Michael. That might make the others Gabriel and Raphael.

Archangels appear in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The iconography of these figures has existed for centuries and you can always find several examples similar to the figure in the centre. Slaying dragons refers to the slaying of evil, even the devil. Could the playing cards depicted here and there be a subtle reference to gambling?

The playing cards were another reason to classify the batik as Chinese. Gambling was often linked to the Peranakan Chinese population in the former Dutch East Indies. But to attribute this batik to this group for that reason would of course be stereotyping. In Java, gambling and card games appeared in all walks of life.

The batik became part of the museum’s collection in 1878. It was probably made for the World Exhibition in Paris, to be exhibited rather than worn. 

That said, we don’t know for sure, nor do we know who made the batik in the first place. Unfortunately, it is often the case that the makers go unrecognised.

Another batik from the collection of the Wereldmuseum Amsterdam may have been made by the same people. That would suggest they were well known, although no effort was made to record their names.

Today, it is important to look at these collections critically. When and by whom was the collection recorded? Who made the Batik, and for what purpose?



'The Route' by Artist Elia Nurvista, 2024
 at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam

In the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam (former Tropenmuseum) is an additional exhibition made to the exhibition 'Our Colonial Inheritance'. In the small exhibition 'Imprints' three artists are invited to show work reflecting on our colonial past. Artist Elia Nurvista shows works about the palm oil industry. In the work ‘The Route’ made in batik the story is told of the history of migration and displacement between palm oil and Dutch wax prints (imitation Batik). I was surprised about the quality of the Batik, although thick lined, the red and yellow are so bright and even coloured. When I shared photos in my stories on instagram, the artist Nurvista replied. I asked her about the Batik and she explained it was made by batikmakers in Yogyakarta. I wished they were credited too in the exhibition...
'Imprints' is on display till 6 January 2025

Batik WM-2036 shown together with a photo of Raden Ayu Danudireja (ca 1840-1880) and Raden Saleh (1811-1880) in Wereldmuseum Rotterdam

In Rotterdam at the Wereldmuseum the temporary exhibition 'Colonialism and Rotterdam' on display till 3 November. The exhibition doesn't hold many batiks, only two, but one is very exciting. I came across it when researching Elie van Rijkevorsel (1845-1928). 
Van Rijckevorsel donated a large amount of textiles from Indonesia that form one of the oldest collections of the museum. Because of it clear provenance, at least if we follow Van Rijckevorsel notes on it, the batik for me are an amazing insight in batik made around 1875. I saw several Batiks from his collection, but one was still on my wishlist, a batik (WM-2036) made by Raden Ayu Danudireja (ca 1840-1880), the wife of painter Raden Saleh (1811-1880). It is not known when Van Rijckevorsel got the batik, but he did visit Raden Saleh during his travels on Java. What I found most striking of this batik is that it is a great example of Batik from Jakarta. Although many books on batik will say Jakarta, or back then Batavia, did not have a Batik production, Van Rijckevorsel bought actually several pieces in Batavia. The only purchase in fact that he clearly mentions in his letters. I also came across other pieces stating to be from Batavia and all have the same, very specific use of colour. A very dark black with yellow, no white of the cotton is shown, combined with green, blue and red. Exactly like this piece. 
I noticed that now I looked at the information I have on this batik, WM-2036, both Van Rijckevorsel and Rouffaer do not mention Raden Ayu Danudireja as the maker. They just say 'Raden Saleh, motif'. Which can mean several things, but not necessarily the wife of Raden Saleh made it. There were two batiks in another exhibition held in 1901 that are attributed to a 'Raden Ajoe Saleh'. The owner states they came from her batikworkshop. So now I am wondering who actually attributed the batik from the Van Rijckevorsel collection to Raden Ayu Danudireja, if it is noted anywhere else clearly...oeps...I should have double checked the sources, but neither did the museum..again.

Box with batikol tools from DIY brand 'Emulation, 
WM-77454, Collection Wereldmuseum Rotterdam

The other batik related thing on display is at the end of the exhibition 'Kruispunt Rotterdam. A recently made acquisition of a selection of Batik DIY tools from the brand 'Emulation'. 
Quirien A. A. Krinen (1883-1845) and his wife Nellie Krinen-Surie (1887-1965) were the owners of Emulation, based in Weltevreden (near the former Batavia, nowadays Jakarta, ID). They developed a batik-method for silk that everyone could practice at home. Batikol, Emulation's liquid wax-emulsion, replaced the traditional wax and prevented the dye from bleeding into each other. This form of batik-making became a huge trend. At its peak in the 1920s, 17 different companies existed. These boxes were shipped to customers all over the world.
The box is shown together with on a screen textile examples of "batiks" made with this DIY box that were already in the collection. It is a fascinating history and I am the lucky owner myself of several dyes, textiles and info book from Emulation too.
In the exhibition 'Kruispunt Rotterdam' is a room on Indonesian textiles with many batiks. The batiks have been on display since it opened, so they need to be changed. Hopefully soon we learn more on which batiks will be shown there.

Screen with example of textile made with the Emulation DIY box

Work by Philip Boas at SBK Amsterdam

Detail of work by Philip Boas at SBK Amsterdam

In June I got an invite from an artist. Her text and (re)search inspired me right away while also left me with many questions:
Artist Nina Boas will be in residence at SBK Amsterdam. During this period, she will delve into the work of her father, Philip Boas, a Dutch artist whose batik-inspired work was acquired by various prominent Dutch museum and corporate collections in the 1980s and 90s. With her project ‘Healing Batik,’ Nina Boas investigates how intergenerational trauma, which influences her artistic practice through her father's work, fits into the current time when the cultural field is working hard on the decolonization of visual art. Important institutions are reassessing their colonial past and collections, where her father's work often lies stored in depots. Nina Boas' research focuses on new ways to deal with cultural heritage and traumas. How do we handle our colonial past and its impact on contemporary art? How can we revive forgotten or neglected artworks and tell their stories? And how do trauma and cultural heritage affect new generations of artists?

Research by Nina Boas on Philip Boas

Detail on work Philip Boas

Nina Boas in her residence space at SBK Amsterdam

I knew the work from Philip Boas from (again) the Textielmuseum in Tilburg. Very bright, almost pulsating textile works combining different mediums. The two works at the SBK Amsterdam were different, darker and heavier. I wondered if this might added to Nina's questions. 
I went to the last day of her residence to meet her and hear more about her journey and wishes. Her own quest as an artist, finding her own voice while also feeling connected to her father and his journey in Batik. I cannot do it justice here in a few words, but it interesting that it was all about Batik, yet Batik was just a vessel. In Philip Boas work the thick layers of paste that use to function as a resist were no longer removed, while Nina Boas made a digital collage in which you could be come part of the works surrounded by a canting, her father at work and batikmakers. 
Looking forward how her 'Healing Batik' project continues.


Batik Papua design by Pak Victor
at exhibition 'Verwevenheid' in Amsterdam


Last past exhibition I like to share in this blog is the exhibition 'Verwevenheid' (Interwoven) curated by Herra Pahlasari and Aminudin Siregar at the Indonesia House in Amsterdam. They brought together 27 artists that work with textiles in this group exhibition.
Of course there were several batik works in this exhibition, but there were also several wannabe batiks. Under the technique 'Tamarind Batik technique' were several textiles. Tamarind paste or also 'malam dingin' (cold wax)  should not be referred to as ‘Batik’ {only a hot wax resist can be called Batik}. I suggest calling it ‘Tamarind resist dye’. I wonder where this resist technique originates from. There are several types of pasted being used for resist dyeing, but never came across tamarind seeds before. 
Anyway, in this blogpost I will therefor only share the batik pieces from the exhibition.


Batik design made by Pak Victor, made into batik by batikmakers on Java. The design are Pak Victors answer or solution to the printed motifs that now are seen as 'Batik papua'. Based on the food culture of Sentani, Papua where Pak Victor is from.

Detail of Pak Vistor's Batik Papua design

'Support Your local organic farmer!' by Nadin Wielinga Varsovia
Batik, hand dyeing, thrifting, sewing machine, hand sewing


For more from this exhibition, please check out the digital catalog that was made: VERWEVENHEID | PDF to Flipbook

Did you spot any batiks in The Netherlands that I missed? Or you want to highlight an upcoming exhibition that feature batik, please comment below!


July 26, 2024

Zaman of the Batik influencer

 The era of the batik influencer is here!


Reel on how to recognise real batik vs (machine) printed imitations

Since I started my blog I was dreaming of this, the influencer who promoted batik. I was never that much of a fashion girl myself and don not like the promotion of consumption that comes with the influencer life style, but I did posted on the fashion & started make ‘Batik Statements’ as a fun way to show how to style batik. {on the end of this post a reading list of fashion related blogpost I wrote}. 


Recreating styles from past eras
by Bev on her insta Odetoless

In the 15 years, hi old, I have been blogging, I saw fashion brands using batiks (for bad and good) come & go, but I never saw fashionista’s embracing it. And suddenly they are everywhere. Young Southeast Asian influencers wearing batik, or sarongs, posting on the technique with making of videos, doing photoshoots and sharing about the importance of Real Batik!


Berkain Bersama


Si kudul on her Insta tapi.aku.suka

In the category Fashionista’s we find the more classic fashionista, but with a sense of sustainability. A trend, as you will, that is luckily getting more attention, although the fast fashion haul are still very now happening. The more conscious consumer that steps into the world berjarik or berkain, wrapping a sarong, also steps into the production process. First what kind of sarongs are there? While Batik is a populair choice, the woven fabric options are endless. After the wrapping, starts usually the questions like: How was this cloth made, in what conditions, can I found a better/safer/more natural option? Even some start making themselves and start learning different techniques. This is the part that is often missing with the traditional, oldschool fashinista that mainly wants to get sponsorships from brands by selling stuff. They don’t seem to care where their cloths are from, apart from the brandname, or who made it for that matter, #whomademyclothes ! 


Si kudul on her Insta tapi.aku.suka

 Roman.Muhtar instagram

Ary Ogam on his Insta Instogam


Sarong Kebaya


In the category Vintage Batik Influencer or Sarong Kebaya wearers, there are several nice accounts to follow. This influencers do a mixture of cosplay & re-enactment while making it actual daily wear. They find vintage pieces online and in secondhand stores. They repair or even retailer or repurpose to make the outfits wearable again. Some visit locations like heritage sites, sometimes from colonial times, to make photos and videos, but most actual make a habit of wearing it daily. Promoting pre-loved fashion, mending & traditional heritage inspired looks. 


Bev on her insta Odetoless

Hafiz Rachid spotted by Orchard road fashion 

Suzanne Lim on her instagram


Batik Activists


I also have to include in this post the Batik educators, my fellow batik activists, who rock a batik sarong, shirt or other clothing item daily for a while now. 
For this category I like to mention my colleagues as you will. Yes, we wear batik for professional reasons, but most of us, me included, stopped wearing non-batik clothing, as in clothing that is not made out of batik. Why? Because batik is just the best!
For me personally, I am not wearing sarongs (yet), but mostly custom-made clothing from batik textiles, either Tulis or Cap. I have items made from Batik from Java, Madura, Malaysia, from brands in Singapore, even from Eswatini (formely known as Swaziland, my baobab batik leggings are from there). My wish is to own of every batik making place an item one day. Because wearing batik vs collecting it, actually keeps a heritage going.


Peni of insta Amazing peni, who run with her mother Ibu Indra in Jakarta Griya Peni

Tony Sugiarta of aNERDgallery
Photo made by me during aNERDgallery's Batik tour on Java
December 2023 at Museum Batik in Pekalongan

Me with my Batik sister Liesna of Galeri Liesna 
Photo made by Koen on our last evening in Jakarta


I surely haven’t mentioned all the kain wearing inspirations out there. Keep on showing us how it is done! Do you follow online any batik influencers or if you are one? Please share in a comment!


Keep on reading:


'Sometimes I wish I was a fashion blogger' blogpost from 2012
'Jakarta FashionWeek(end)' blogpost from 2016
'What Batik Statement are you making?' blogpost from 2018
'Taking Batik Online' blogpost from 2021
'Sarong on Screen' also from 2021
'Fashion, Malls and Friends' blogpost from 2023




My mama as my batik wrapping Model in 2016

My last blogpost I wrote on the day my mother passed. In between visiting her in the hospital, needing something to get my mind of things, only to have the worst thing happen. Minutes after I posted it, we got a call from the hospital it was not going well and we needed to come asap. That night she died...

Missing my mama a lot, and will miss her comments on my newly invented use of English ~ she never corrected it, while she worked as a translator Dutch-English. She would just say: “It made my laugh, but you don’t need to change it, it is written as you would think & speak and that is so nice about your writing”. Thank you mama for always supporting my journey in Batik. That’s why I know I should keep on blogging.