Bulan Batik*

Batiks of the 5 batikmakers who were part of the exhibition 'Masa depan Batik' at IHA

Making the new campaign image of 'Masa depan batik'

Guided tour on 17 October

Photo by Hans Kleijn

 

While I still had an exhibition in show in Singapore (check previous post), I was making my exhibition 'Masa depan Batik' to be shown at the Indonesia House (IHA) in Amsterdam. Already when I was preparing this exhibition for Erasmushuis in Jakarta, I wished I could also bring it to the Netherlands. Of course my wish was including bringing the batikmakers featured in the exhibition also.

After a very long wait and no possibilities for any budget, due to the many cuts in the culture funding in Indonesia, I could re-make the exhibition at IHA. It was not ideal and it felt pretty lonely after two months in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore being surrounded by friends, like minded batik people and seeing all the batikmakers that made this exhibition possible. Of course I was very happy I could show the works in the Netherlands and to show it in the cultural home of the Indonesian embassy in the Netherlands.

The exhibition 'Masa depan Batik | Future of Batik' features:

Nurul Maslahah 

Ibu Siti

Nidi Kusmaya 

Tony Sugiarta 

Addoley Dzegede

Widianti Widjaja

Ibu Umriyah

Mbak Ekawatiningsih 

Ibu Ramini 

Special thanks to:

Erasmus Huis

Indonesian Embassy

Miss Tasya 

Mas Qomar

Koen de Wit 

All the pembatiks, those of the past and the present, without them this exhibition could not have been made!

The exhibition 'Masa depan Batik | Future of Batik' was opened on 10 October officially, but I build it up on 29 and 30 September, so it could start on 1 October and be open on 2 October, Hari Batik (Batik Day). 

The weekend before building up, on 27 & 28 September, I was at the Ambacht in Beeld (Craft on View) festival in Amsterdam. An amazing two day craft celebration with many workshops, talks and more. I was asked to give batikworkshop. After trying out the 1 hour workshop at Pasar Istimewa in Rotterdam, I suggested I would to these very short try-outs. With the very much needed assistance of my dear Koen, we 8 workshops for almost 100 people in these two days. We enjoyed seeing other craftspeople and friends, Hi Mike!, seeing so many happy people learning about crafts. It was wonderful to represent Batik and see all the small batiks that were made in just one hour by people who hold a canting for the first time. 

Batikworkshops at Ambacht in Beeld

Batik made in one hour by participant

Batikworkshops at Ambacht in Beeld

With the help of Bapak Batara, I hung up most of works on Monday 29 September. It always great to see a floorplan coming to life in a space and actually fitting. Next to the works shown in Jakarta, I added a new work 'Odé to Miep Spee', which I put together on the spot. 

With Nidi Kusmaya worked on our Natural Dye Lab project so new dyed samples could be shown, she managed to dye them in between all her amazing projects abroad!

Making of 'Odé to Miep Spee'

Updated Natural Dye Lab

Life imitates Art

On 8 October I got to present my research on 'Decolonizing Batik Belanda (Dutch Batik), Batik Belanda and Dutch Batik, its history and representation in museums' during the WINNER conference in the program 'Decolonizing Batik Belanda: Women, Memory and the Art of Shared Heritage'. You can watch back the full program on Youtube and my talk starts at 3.30min.

Tari Batik during opening Masa depan Batik on 10 October at IHA

Video of the pembatiks during the opening Masa depan Batik on 10 October at IHA

Welcome speech opening Masa depan Batik on 10 October at IHA

Guided tour during opening Masa depan Batik on 10 October at IHA

On 10 October the exhibition was opened with a Tari batik (Batik Dance), welcome speeches, a guided tour by me, Batik Cap Kertas (batik stamp of cardboard) workshop by Sandra Saffira and a show&tell by Gwen Scheerlings, my batik student, on her two month experience learning batik on Java! 

Visitors rotated in smaller groups so they could part-take in all. 

Guided tour during opening Masa depan Batik on 10 October at IHA

Gwen Scheerling showing batiks she made during her work period on Java, 

on 10 October during the opening of Masa depan Batik 

Batik Cap Kertas (batik stamp of cardboard) workshop by Sandra Saffira

The guided tours I also gave on 17 & 31 October. It is a lovely way of sharing the stories behind the different batik works and share the more personal side of them. Both days were fully booked and I had also Batik consultation on both days. It was great seeing batiks kept and unravel more about them.

I also got to take my family to see the exhibition; my dad, aunt and my mom's cousin. It was lovely to be able to show my work to them. I think my dad hardly has any idea what my work entails. He is proud never the less ;) 

Guided tour on 17 October. Photo by Hans Kleijn

In between all this I got two negative results on funding applications, making that now five this year...Still worked on the piece I hope to show in this exhibition next year for which we have no money...Mostly because needed the last warmer moments to make this batik work. Koen captured me in our shed when I was struggling getting the wax warm enough. 

On 4 November I dismantled my exhibition 'Masa depan Batik', the month went so fast while the wait was so long. I do hope I get to show this works many more times! And of course I hope I get to make many more works and work for a long time with and for batikmakers, bringing the future of Batik further and further!

* October is considered the Batik Month, Bulan Batik, since Batik became Intangible Unesco Heritage on 2 October 2009. So of course 'Masa depan Batik' had to be held in October!