Keeping legacies in Yogya

Making green with Mas Syaiful

The samples after one day of dyeing with Mas Syaiful

Started my stay in Yogya with making green with Mas Syaiful. I have been following Mas Syaiful’s instagram @sekadargambar for a while. He created the most wonderful shades of natural dye. Curious to see his workspace and getting to know him, I was happy when he had time to have me visit and make!

Took a Grab to his workshop on Monday 4 August, but got the wrong dot on the map. Looking around, suddenly I saw a man, boy and goat pointing me to the right place. The man of course being Syaiful, the boy his son & the goat their pet Shello.

Was invited in his house first, where his collection of samples was laid out. Basically the rainbow in natural dye. He also had several samples with batik. I especially was surprised by the green he was able to create, that looked to me very much like the natural green in old batiks made around 1870-1880 on Java. I asked if we could try to re-create that. 

For our recipe we used Jolawe and Tegeran for yellow and Indigo for blue. He still had some pieces with already a drawing in wax, so we could use them too. 

It was great to learn more from Syaiful on natural dyes, the plants needed, that he even planted around his house, and his wish for a sustainable slow way of living. He uses soya milk to prepare the textiles for dyeing and the goat gets the milk after. He want to create a catalog of colours, adding new ones and would like to turn it into a book or exhibition someday. 

We actually made a whole range of shades of green. Which some pretty close to the old colours. Would love to re-try old recipes in the near future and hang out at this beautiful place! 

Examples of Mas Syaiful's dye experiments

Goat Shello in the workshop

Bringing the Indigo vat back to life

First dye round with base of yellows and blues

Overdyeing to get green

Was waved goodbye by all the kids in the neighbourhood, Syaiful and Shello

First night in Yogya, 

dinner with Elise of Jivaloka & Tony 

captured in a drawing by artist Syahrizal Pahlevi 

On 5 August we went first to Art Jog, one of the bigger Art events in Yogyakarta. There were a few works that really got to me. 

The installation ‘Niscaya Nirmakna’ by Surya Adiwjaya showing the disappearing legacy of memando (blacksmithing). 

One of the wall text read: 

In an era where traditions lose their names.

In the spaces in between, the sound of hammering persists its echo soft, yet unyielding, refusing to be museumed.

Some choose to fade.

Some choose to read again.

And somefollow their own will to have its meaning forgotten

In this museum without labels.

A work, or body of work that got me actually crying was seeing one of my mentors, Krisna Murti being celebrated. In The Krisna Murti Project artist Mahardika Yudha and Umi Lestari are exploring his legacy in videos, written documentation and more. 

Not me crying at Art Jog, thank you The Krisna Murti project

As mentioned in my previous post ‘Tiba di Jawa’, I run into Mbak Elok in Jakarta, she told many people were waiting for me to come to Yogya. Since Yogya was this time on the planning for a little longer, I let her know we were coming. We got invited to meet her at her shop/gallery, but Mbak Elok also invited some Batik enthusiasts/students/colleagues to meet with us. 

I have been following Mbak Elok batik journey also through Instagram where she on @lawasanbatikofficial did many activities such as interviews with people in the Batik field during the pandemic and live selling events.

She recently moved to Yogyakarta where she at the store Batik Yogya Kembali made a small exhibition on Haji Bilal batik legacy and makes temporary exhibitions too. Turn out, this building was actually the batikworkshop. 

Haji Bilal started his Firma Haji Bilal in 1912 with about 700 employees. To survive the financial crisis in the 1930’s he started making next the kains, table cloths, scarves and more. Till his passing in 1948 he produced batik, after which his children continued. It wasn’t easy to sell batiks in the 1960’s anymore, mostly due to printed textiles with batik motifs, so the family ventured into other businesses, opening hotels. But the building remained within the family, as their home & batik shop. 

Mbak Elok created a lovely small exhibition honouring the different generations making batik. With wonderful examples of Haji Bilal work, but also the furniture from the office & cash machines over the years. 

In the room next to it, Mbak Elok makes together with PPBI Sekar Jagad, temporary exhibitions. Now the theme is ‘Flofau’, a word play on Flora & Fauna, showing a variety of ‘Alas-alasan’, a batik with many animals. 

Mbak Elok also brought some older pieces of her families batik legacy, great sogan pieces with wayang and buketan. When I get home have to take a closer look at one of the wayang batik my grandmother bought, because it looks do similar. 

After our tour, our get-together started. It is great to see a new generation so active within batik, not just research, but also making! Making new design inspired by kraton motifs, working on makers outside the kraton who are mentioned in Veldhuisen his book, and much much more.

It was wonderful to chat  and share and looking forward to what everyone is doing! So keep me posted !

Thank you Mbak Elok and Ibu Firda for welcoming us in your home & batik legacy.

Mbak Elok showing the batiks by Haji Bilal

Batik at exhibition 'Flofau'

Batik at exhibition 'Flofau'

Example of Haji Bilal batik with buketan motif

Evening gathering with batik researchers/fans/students/curators

On 6 August we got a preview of Museum Gan, the private museum opened by Ibu Indrawati to celebrate her batik family’s legacy. In the small museum she displays the batik works, related historical objects and her own made batiks to share the story of three generations of batik entrepreneurs from Pekalongan; Gan Sam Gie (1856-1928), Gan Tjioe Liam (1900-1957) and Gan Tjiang Liem (1928-1992), and adding a fourth by including herself Gan Swie Hiang.

Yogya might be an odd choice for this museum, but it is also interesting to have it here, since it is such a different batik herstory to tell.  Bu Indrawati plans to open the museum fully in October, so mark your agenda to visit and enjoy the little preview in the photos!

Ibu Indrawati opening up her grandparents closet/exhibit at Museum Gan

Examples of batiks by the Gan family

Museum Gan

Detail of batik from the Museum Gan collection

After Museum Gan, I headed to Museum Sonobudoyo Unit I. The curators joined at Mbak Eka and I was curious to see their batik collection.

The museum is really grand, set-up in two building, going through the history of Java and sharing on customs in the court of Yogyakarta and outside of it. 

The batik display is pretty impressive and most of the pieces include on explanation on their use as well, as in which ritual.

In the evening got to visit Ibu Chandra of Sekar Kawung. She is such an inspiration and it was great hear about all the different @sekarkawung projects to keep textile crafts artisans going. For selling peanuts to growing the cotton, to weaving the cloth, to growing the Indigo, to making fashion, meditation blankets, pyjama’s and small toys, she work with everyone to lift up everyone!

It gives me so much hope. It was also great to see the newer and older Tuban batiks. I know Koen would want them all. 

Thank you Ibu Chandra for sharing your stories on your amazing work.

Ibu Chandra showing pieces from Tuban

On 7 August our last free day in Yogya, we went to Museum Batik, yes there is a Museum Batik too in Yogya. This one is smaller and private. When I first came here in 2016 I was only allowed to take photos in the first room, but now it is allowed everywhere. So of course me and Tony took many. The rolled up batik made me crazy the last time. When were they open last & who has access to them?! And l can I see them too?

The museum is still small, but the pieces are lovely and the rooms explaining the technique is well done. A worth-wile visit, and happy to see that also this legacy has been kept, since the original owners have passed away.

On 7 August my very first batik tour started! Together with aNERDgallery and Bersukaria Tour, I made a program going to several batikmakers I have been working with, and some who Tony also works with, doing hands on workshops and cultural sightseeing. Till the next blog update!

Batik buddies & saudara

View from the slower train

Mila showing her Batik work

Mak Sium showing her batik still in wax

After Jakarta, it was really nice to go to Bandung again on 28 & 29 July. Took the Whoooshh on Sunday, which was interesting to try, but honestly the whole point for me is the actually enjoy the view, slow down and catch up on much needed writing of blogposts. But it was nice to try out ~ also it is a bit for from the center of Jakarta and still need to drive about 1 hour to Bandung, so still the traveltime is about the same.

In Bandung I continued working with Nidi Kusmaya on our natural dye project. Trying to turn the recipes Van Musschenbroek translated in 1878 into more workable recipes. It is so fun to decipher together and wonder about what the ingredients function actual was in the dyeing process. We worked on it for two days and Nidi will dive into her studio to try the recipes out again.

Working with Nidi on the old recipes

Textiles by Roman at his store Boolao

Batik design by Roman

In between got the visit Roman Muhtar. And see his brand new place Boolao. I have been loving Roman’s batik content, his creations of textiles and now his new venture in open up his own space. In his space he gathers next to his own made kains & clothing, also clothing and jewellery of friends with brands. 

Roman doesn’t considers himself a fashiondesigner or stylist, but a textile/kain maker. He is maybe not too keen on fashion side, but his looks are very fashionable. He learned the batik technique in Cirebon and still works with the Ibu-ibu’s there to create his pieces. He combines batik with shibori and embroidery using it on different fabrics. He got beautiful silks from Cambodia and locally woven textiles with interesting textures.

It was wonderful to learn more about his work, share thoughts on the craft of Batik and the makers of this craft and how to support it. 

Thanks for welcoming me, looking forward to visiting again!

Batik & embroidery, design by Roman

At Boolao

Back in Pekalongan

After Bandung I took a train to Pekalongan on 30 July. It was so strange and comforting little had changed since my stay here two years ago.

My visit to Pekalongan started rough. I got the news my friend & batikmaker Ibu Siti was in the hospital. The next morning I first went to Pak Qomar’s grave. He passed away 17 May 2024. I hadn’t been back to Java yet and I knew I would miss him much if I return here (post of last road trip together). His brother kindly brought me. I bought flowers and scattered them over his makam (grave) and that of his parents next to him. His brother took some flowers too. Shall we pray? Yes, please I follow you. Couldn’t stop my tears. It is okay, he said. 

After that I headed to the hospital. Ibu Siti has returned home, but still is not better. I worry, a lot, but she tells me she feels a little better.

I basically spend the afternoon crying. How miserable I felt, finally back to the makers and this is how they are doing…

Pak Qomar in November 2023

Nurse wearing a uniform with batikmotif Gringsing 

- Gringsing is considered a healing motif

The next day I went to Ibu Nurul first. Last time I was there she was only home temporarily, good thing now she returned for good! Happy Batang is her home again. Walking in this time alone, without Pak Qomar, was so sad, but it also was as if I came for tea just the day before. Chatting with Ibu Nurul and her mother about missing him, because the community really misses him and agree there is nobody like Pak Qomar who knows all the makers & knows and enjoys batik. 

The worry now was mainly how was I getting from a to b, or in this case to Mak Sium.

After a Whatsapp to her daughter, I got a WA back that I was being picked up. 

Mak Sium son-in-law Achyar came pick me up. It made me so happy to drive the short route through the ricefield only motorcycles/scooters can take.

Batik by Nurul, classic motif with a modern twist

Nurul showing her batiks

A sign of relief seeing Mak Sium doing well, not just well, basically the same. Her daughters welcomed me and all kind of snacks appeared from the kitchen. Same as with Ibu Nurul, it was just normal. Yes, I have to travel far, but I am considered saudara (literally means brother, but here used as ‘family). I got complimented that my Bahasa Indonesia improved a lot, happy to hear, since my city friends are so critical. 

If I wanted to see batiks? Always! After a while Mak Sium got up and came back with a very fine batik sarong. Apparently the batik is 80 years old, from her family. I was calculating, oh 1945, so during the war. Mak Sium shared how when she was little, they had to take shelter in a bunker. She must have been 6 or 7 at the time.

She put the newly made batik, locally referred to as Batik Materos (a reference to Matheron a maker from Banyumas, but style was already copied in the 1920’s in Pekalongan), next to the old one and started comparing the motifs. Yes, the motifs are much smaller & finer, but the motifs are mostly the same. The old sarong full of holes seems to be of a much finer woven cotton, which makes me wonder if the local made cotton the Batang makers prefer now, prevent them for working so fine. 

Got to join in with lunch ~ rice, tempeh & daun papaya, no better food on Java than at the makers home.

Mak Sium was showing me her batik still in wax. The plastic floorcarpets are a silent source of inspiration. This time even the little farmer made it into her latest design!

After lunch, Pak Achyar insisted on bringing me back. In front of the hotel, he said, we are family, I want to be like Pak Qomar for you. Next time, I will go with you to everyone. 

I felt like crying again, but also the situation was so funny. This man kinda yelling we are family while around us curious employee of the hotel where looking at us. My heart that felt so broken just a day before, felt full. 

Since Ibu Siti is still recovering, the trip I do starting on 8th of August had to be changed. Luckily Ibu Nuri & Ibu Ramini agreed to take on the dyeing too. Ibu Nurul is happy to receive us at her home.

For a second lunch, Mas Dewa picked me up for our traditional Gado-gado near Museum Batik. Mas Dewa is always too busy, but without fail we manage this tradition which always me to get updated on the current batik politics.

Batiks by Mak Sium

Old batik from Mak Sium family

Comparing the details in the new and old batik

Last day, for now, in Pekalongan I spend with Mbak Mila. Mila just graduated from the university studying batik. I cannot be prouder! 

I first met Mila in 2022. She just started her study and shared my journey to Batik inspired her to start hers! 

We stayed in touch and revisited her in 2023. On instagram I have been enjoying her progress, doing event & working on her brand. She wants to make slow fashion next to Batik Tulis and has been making & dyeing batiks in her garden. 

Mila asked me if I knew a place for her to intern & dive into natural dyes further. Nuri of Batik Marenggo welcomed her at her studio in Sleman near Yogyakarta.

Now Mila graduated, with flying colours! What marvelous batik children I have! But maybe we are more sisters, but I feel so proud! 

Best thing, we got to hang out and catch up. I am so so so happy I used this visit to take time with people instead of having a full program with talks. 

Yes, I get many requests, disappointed messages and I sadly cannot meet everyone, since a month is way too short. But happy go to spend time with my batik buddies & family!

Posing with Mila with her batik dyed in Indigo

Determination to Preserve Legacy

Ibu Widianti made three goddesses in batik, 

representing the three roots/religions/culture Oey Soe Tjoen is part of

A big reason to be in Indonesia now, is the exhibition ‘Oey Soe Tjoen ~ Keteguhan Hati

Merawat Wanisa, Determination to Preserve Legacy, An Art Exhibition From 3 Generations For 100 Years’, that is only open from 25 July until 3 August at TIM in Jakarta (Only two days left! Get your free ticket here!)

At the Oey Soe Tjoen exhibition

Look at this qilin! And the clouds!

Ibu Widianti, the third generation running the famous batikworkshop Oey Soe Tjoen gathered batiks from all over. On loan from private collectors, wearers and many of her own pieces, to show the history, development & hopefully future of OST. I think there are about 100+ batiks on show, showing the 100 year development of Oey Soe Tjoen!

I was very happy to get an invite for the opening on Friday 25 July, but also had a ticket for the next day. Easily could have gone a third time, so much to see and so much to enjoy.

What would this exhibition visit be without running into many familiar faces & dear friends. Rushing towards the opening, outside I heard my name being called by Mas Dewa, my batik buddy from Pekalongan. He and others from Pekalongan just came over one day for the opening and headed back by train at night. Mas Dewa was rocking one of the batiks he inherited from his grandmother, so cool!

Biggest plus of this opening was for sure getting to see even more OST batik. All these ladies & men wearing the actual OST!! Next to these, many worn other great batiks, styled with kebaya’s, beaded shoes and more. Made so many photos of everyone’s looks & shoes!

Even more OST batiks during the opening

Indradjid Sofwan, after many late nights building up, wearing OST

Mas Dewa in his grandmothers sarong, love!

Me with Little Red Riding Hood

Ibu Widianti welcomed us in the space, with a lion dance and opening the doors of a chinese style entrance. She did this every day of the exhibition! Welcoming everyone into her batik world.

The first floor shows the history and development, highlighting their signature style of pagi-sore (day-night batik design) with on one side buketan (bouquet of flowers) and the other side cuwiri (kraton motif with garuda wings and the dancing peacock).

At first glance it is just many of the same thing, and a classic Ibu Widianti for sure got tired of reproducing for customers. But seeing them together, with the different generations versions and in different colours, was a true feast and education as well. 

Second floor shows Ibu Widianti’s artistry. This floor made me emotional. How Widianti search for the balance between traditional, family legacy and finding freedom to create your own story within batik is so inspiring, beautiful, brave and cool. It makes her in my eyes the rockstar of batik! The quality throughout the generations stayed extremity high, with isen-isen (filling motifs) and colour combination that is so fine, it is hard to comprehend this is drawn and dyed all by hand. 

I was so happy seeing all these pieces. Pieces I know from books, but never saw with my own eyes. Pieces that without this exhibition would have only been enjoyed by the collectors owning them. 

Although the exhibition is a celebration, I think it should come also with a warning. While it is still being made, we are losing this too. Ibu Widianti considers herself the last generation, not wanting to force this life(style) upon her children. Also there are no new batikmakers being trained at OST. This means these makers are the last generation of pembatik who have the knowledge on how to create these batiks…It is a scary thought, that among the enjoyment of seeing so much beauty & talent gets maybe overlooked, but it is a reality never the less…

It is amazing to be in this moment in time, being able to witness history being made in Batik, but I hope this is not a mark of the end, but of the future of Batik. Hopefully it inspires a new generation, not only to buy & collected, but to wear and make.

The wearing is going a lot better already, my social media was full of people dressed in style, kebaya kain style, to visit this exhibition. Now we just need to really really start to appreciate the actual makers (financially!) and make sure a new generation can follow in their footsteps, or better their hands (when is someone finally opening a craftcentrum, or educational place for pembatik?!)

Terima kasih Ibu Widinati untuk undang saya dan selamat canting, sukses selalu dan hopefully no more ripping of your sarongs or objects being stolen from the exhibition (who does that?!?)

Posing with Ibu Widianti and Daniel

On Saturday 26 July I was invited to Pak Hartono’s home and look at batik from his collection. I was lucky to see several pieces from his collection over the years (in 2019, in 2022, twice). This visit Daniel & Tony joined with some others. On my request we got to see several ‘Batik kompeni’, batiks with figures on them originally with or without a link to war in them. Daniel requested batiks linked to the exhibition currently in Singapore, signed by Oeij Kok Sing and Jane Hendromartono. Which was amazing! Turns out Pak Hartono’s has many. 

It is always wonderful to get a close look at Pak Hartono’s batiks, discuss their provenance, possible date & more. 

We got to see many more and at the end Pak Hartono shared his new product. A couple years ago he was making very fine, but one side only batik tulis, copies of batik from his collection. But now he is back to making actual copies, these printed textiles are also copies of his collection, but with a clear mark on them not to be confused with real batik, on the side it reads: ‘Textile motif Batik Nitiswastra’. And although my thought on print are known, I was glad to see this was added to clarify. 

Thank you so much for welcoming is and hosting us. Many thanks also to Pak Hartono wife & Mas Dance!

Pak Hartono showing a batik with airballon design

Comparing this batik work to one in a book

When your paspoort function as a design reference

Oey Soe Tjoen, anther maker and Eliza van Zuylen using the same design

Next to seeing many batik, I also got to hang out with friends & colleagues, makan waktu bersama (spending time together).

So happy to catch up with Absa and Asri on their research, work at museums and plans after we got to hang out in Laos last year. The future of textiles is much brighter with these two taking care of them. It is so nice to talk in so much depth on batik, but also textile history, research, exhibitions and preservation.

With Bev at the Kebaya event at Pos Bloc

Also finally met Bev of the instagram Ode to Less. It was so nice working with her for the white kebaya research. She brought her own made white European style kebaya and we talk about how the old ones are made. Looking forward working more on this in the near future, the construction of the kebaya and what they might unravel historically. 

Tony in the beskap at Noni Srikaya

We met at the Kebaya event at Pos Bloc, but turned out it didn’t really start until the evening. Got to visit Tifa’s new store Nona Srikaya, a safespace to berkain & berkebaya! Of cours Toni finds right away this great beskap inspired jacket. I will order a kebaya from there soon, because her style is very cool!

It is even featured in this video promoting berkebaya that was launched on Hari Kebaya >> 

Spend my last morning in Jakarta visiting Museum Mandiri, yes like the bank. This was in the past the office the Nederlandse Handelmaatschappij (NHM). Build in 1929, opened on 1933, apparently on the ruins Fort Batavia…The new building was named Factorij, which still is above the entrance.

The NHM, or in English Netherlands Trading Society was a Dutch trading and financial company, established in 1824, in The Hague by King William I to promote and develop trade, shipping and agriculture. It was meant to be a replacement of the bankrupt VOC and to generate as much profit as possible for the Dutch economy. NHM traded many things, but what it less know is that one of their bigger trade products were Opium and Cotton. This part of trade was interwoven if you will. The NHM shipped plain woven cotton from the Netherlands, from Twente to be more precise, to Indonesia where it was used in the batik industry! The fine machine woven cotton made it possible to even draw more fine batik. But the NHM also imported imitation batiks to Indonesia, to compete with the actual handmade batiks. They not just imported them, they were the main distributor, places specific orders at cottonprinting companies for specific places in Southeast Asia. NHM exporting Indigo and other raw materials from Indonesia to the Netherlands were it was used within the textile production. Often making its way either back to Southeast Asia or other places colonized by the Dutch. 

Tiles at Museum Mandiri

Old safes in the basement

Not surprisingly, this story is not yet clearly featured in the exhibitions at Museum Mandiri. But it was good to see what was being displayed. At least the history and connected to this place and the VOC & NHM is shared. In the basement, next to all the safes, there is an exhibition on the architecture of the building and photos of all the other NHM buildings spread over Indonesia. 

I especially was fascinated by the tiles and their colour and ritme. They reminded me of the colours RekaLagam has in their pigments (see my previous post). Would be nice/interesting to do something with these pigments & tiles to address the NHM’s textile history.. to be continued… 

Everywhere are these stalls selling red & white for upcoming Independence day celebrations