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

Last part of our Batik journey

Dewi Sri Batik at Batik Winotosastro

Returning home I got to dive into several projects, which is great, but it left little time to catch up on my blog. Still would like to share the last part of the batik journey together with Koen, so ayo, let’s go!

On Monday 4 December 2023 me and Koen headed to the old city, Kota Lama, of Semarang. I wanted to visit some locations connected to other research I am doing and was curious how the city transformed further. It is interesting to see how the city deals with these colonial buildings and the history that goes with it. Although more and more buildings are being saved from collapsing over time, there is no information signs or anything like that anywhere. It might be helpful to give more context to these places. I heard it is very populair to visit and since information is available online, maybe the buildings can just be in the now and find a new purpose without always directly needing to know the past during the present. 

Renovated, next to not yet renovated, in Kota Lama of Semarang

H. Spiegel in 2011, photo from the blog ‘a Walk in Semarang’

Spiegel currently, 2023, the H is no longer present after the renovation 

At the second-hand store in Kota Lama of Semarang

My favourite part of revisiting the old city center was the big second-hand store right behind the church. Stalls filled with plates, lamps and nicknacks that wouldn’t look out of place in a similar store in the Netherlands. Many of the stalls sold old money, notes and coins. I had on my wish-list the banknote with a batikmaker on it. After going through several collections, I was ready to give up. I found on booklet from a batik festival held in 2005 in Pekalongan. Most names mentioned as being active in the “scene” are still dominating the field. When paying for it, the man pointed to the stall next to his, saying “more money”. I saw the folder and flipped through it. Couldn’t believe my luck, a little damaged and something written on it, but the ‘lima rupiah’ note from 1958 I was looking for was there. 

Lima rupiah note from 1958 & booklet from 2005, for my batik history collection

Koen posing in our hotel in Yogya next to the pembatik statue

The next day we headed to Yogyakarta. It has been a while since I was there. The last time was in 2019 and I only stayed on night. For sharing with Koen places important for my journey to Batik we had to visit this city and since Tony was staying there also it was great to go here next. 

After switching hotels in the middle of the night ~ that was less fun ~ we woke up in the formerly ‘Batik hotel’ which still had traces everywhere of this theme, in the form of curtains, coffee cups, even a statue of a pembatik and much more. 

In the morning on 6 December we headed to Taman Sari, the Water castle, not only a place that is a touristic must, but also {one of the places} where I learned to make Batik. In 2009 I followed a Batik course by Pak Hadjir, right next to the entrance of Taman Sari. As early as the seventies Pak Hadjir taught many foreigners to make Batik, including Rudolf Smend. 

His workshop is no longer, but it was still so great to show this spot to Koen. Inside Taman Sari we got the local de-tour-tourist-trap tour which included kopi luwak {or shit coffee} and several attempts to get us into a batikshop “of a friend”. 

Getting lost at Taman Sari

With Mas Tony & Mbak Putri in Yogyakarta

After our visit we went to meet Tony and Putri. She happened to be in Jogja for the filmfestival, so we got to see her too. She documented my openingsweekend ~ footage I will share at a later moment ~ and I hope we can work more together in the near future. After a lovely lunch with a croque Nyonya, we headed to visit Batik Winotosastro. 

Batik Winotosastro was the very first place I really learned about making batik. It was just days after my arrival in 2009 that I followed a workshop there under the guidance of Hani, which I found out much later is the boss of Batik Winotosastro. Next to enjoying the beautiful set-up batik space, we shopped, or I shopped. Two great batik pants and a Dewi Sri {goddess of fertility, creativity and rice} batik artwork! I always wanted a Dewi Sri, and having a batik version is just perfect. Although the large one on display was all our favourite, the smaller one was a little more affordable. 

Drawing the design onto cotton at Batik Winotosastro

Pembatik at work at Batik Winotosastro

Batik Cap being made at Batik Winotosastro

We also visited Lemari Lila, finally! It was on my wish list for so long. Her collaborations with Sekar Kawung and Jivaloka are great, inspiring and really what the textile world needs! Bought nothing myself this time, but Koen picked out an amazing blouse made from Batik Tuban. it reminds me of the wonderful research of Renske Heringa and the need to finally visit Tuban myself. Hopefully next time when I return to Java. 

From the Lemari Lila x Sekar Kawung collab

It was so nice to spend a day in Yogya with Koen, Tony and Putri. Have a little walk down memory lane reminiscences the very start of my journey to batik.

The next day, on 7 December, we went to Surakarta (Solo) for only one afternoon basically. It was actually such a nice visit and I never stayed in Solo before.

I really wanted to show Koen Museum Danar Hadi, that has been in many ways the starting point for the research I am doing.

We checked in to the Roemahkoe Heritage Hotel. This hotel was originally build in 1938 as a house by a wealthy batik merchant. A big house in Art Deco style with a secret back door leading right into Batik Laweyan, the batik neighborhood. It was turned into a hotel keeping the style of the building and beautiful details. If the hidden door remained we did not asked (yet).

Roemahkoe Heritage Hotel

After checking in, we rushed to the kraton. At the Mangkunegaran Palace was an exhibition on ‘Batik Keratanan’ {royal batik} and not just royal batik but specific motifs created by members of the royal family in Surakarta. I think it was the first time such a specific exhibition has been done at a kraton. I thought I missed it, but it turned out it got extended, after Tony was there a week earlier with his Batiktour. The exhibition showcased designs made by the royal family, so queens, princesses and even concubines. I never been a big Sogan fan {brown coloured batiks}, but I must say this exhibition might have changed my mind. There were stunning pieces on loan too from Iwan Tirta, including a huge Dodot Ageng {a ceremonial cloth used by dancers}. I loved that it is displaced like the ‘Tiga Negeri’ installation in my exhibition. The palace itself is stunning too, with a big greenhouse in the garden. It was already closing up when we finished looking at the exhibition, so we had no time to see the rest of the palace.

Dodot by Iwan Tirta at the Mangkunegaran Palace

One of the batikmakers from the royal family

Design by Iwan Tirta for the royal family

Batik exhibition at the Mangkunegaran Palace

We headed to Museum Danar Hadi. Wanted to meet curator Asti, but she had too many meetings that day. To our surprise she still came to meet us when we walked towards the entrance.  

We got a tour by Mbak Mutiara, in between Mas Gigih, also an excellent museumguide, dropped by to say hello. So nice to see him again. It was good to see again pieces that are part of my research and batiks of which I still need to {re~}tell their story. Mbak Mutiara has also questions for me, mostly fact checking things she heard from other researchers, which I loved. After the tour we met with Mbka Asti. So happy we got to see her and her team. They do great work maintaining an very important Batik collection! 

Our stay in Solo was too short, but so lovely. So I will plan a longer stay for next visit for sure, because I love to explore the Batik related heritages sites.

With curator Asti at Museum Danar Hadi

Are last stop before returning back to Jakarta to fly home, was the long awaited visit to Lasem. Koen was lucky to already meet Ibu Ramini and Mbak Tasya when he just arrived, but now we got to visit the places I probably talk about the most.

Although Lasem can be a stressful place too with many outsiders pushing many agendas, the people actually from this small city are always very welcoming. 

Taking Koen here was extra special. Taking him to the place it truly started. In 2009 I visited the batikworkshop KUB Srikandi for the first time and that visit marked  a > what I think will be a life long < love for Batik. Ibu Ramini asked us why we would spend our time going to a small desa like Jeruk, but it is these places that inspire me the most. Our visit was also practical since Ibu Ramini and her sister Ibu Juwariyah now have Instagram accounts thanks to Mbak tasya >>> Go follow them at @raminisrikandi & @juwariyahjeruk❣️

Koen posing next to the batiks on display at Batikworkshop Srikandi

Next to going to desa Jeruk got to spend precious time with Mbak Eka and Mbak Tasya. We were welcome every day at Mbak Eka’s home, the beautiful place that also houses her Batikworkshop Lumintu. We were spoiled by her so much. We had so much jummy food, also because they were afraid I would get sick again, but honestly we are missing the meals still every day. And it is not just the food. It is talking with Mbak Eka and Mbak Tasya, the moments with the pembatiks. 

I promised the year before I would cook for them all. Koen brought pasta with him, olive-oil and Italian spices, the rest we bought in Lasem. After everyone finally let me alone in the kitchen, except for Koen help that I needed, we made an Italian lunch for the pembatiks, Mbak Eka, Tasya and Ibu Ramini, Ibu Juwariyah and the grandchildren. Although it must have been kinda strange, they all tried the meal. I was just happy I got to make something, probably good for many stories at home, haha. 

Lasem

Mbak Eka, Mbak Tasya, statue of Raden Adjeng Kartini, me & Koen 

at the Kartini Museum in Rembang

The Gawangan, batik frame of Kartini

Our last day in the Rembang region we made a little roadtrip. I really wanted to go to the Kartini Museum and asked Mbak Eka and Tasya to join us. We started making plans and made the plan to also visit Raden Adjeng Kartini’s final resting place. In the morning I bought a bag of very fresh nice smelling melati and roses. 

We first stopped at the Tjoe An Kiong temple, the former red, now bright pink Chinese temple. The insight is so stunning, so many ornaments to look at all with important meaning, not just as decoration. 

Next stop was the Kartini Museum. I went there once before in 2016. It hadn’t changed much and still the same batiks are on display that have nothing to do with her. We were standing next to the gawangan, a bamboo batik frame, allegedly used by Kartini herself. Mbak Eka asked about it, and our guide quickly stopped using it to lean on. We laughed a little about the situation. Although the frame might not be really hers, the locaton, a tiled veranda would be a perfect spot to make batik. 

After the museum we headed to Raden Adjeng Kartini’s final resting place. It is still a hour drive, but I was so glad I could pay my respects and thank Kartini for the inspiration and guidance she brings on my batik journey. Me and Mbak Eka prepared the flowers and I got a woven basket to put them in. I asked everyone to put some of the flowers on her grave. When it was my turn suddenly a tokeh started with his call. Normally tokeh’s call at night, but I experienced something similar when visiting the Sultan’s wife’s grave at Imogiri. I take it as a good sign and smiled while continuing with the flowers. 

Since I bought a lot the keeper of the graveyard ask me if I wanted to gift flowers to others. I asked where Kartini’s child was. A smaller grave, right outside the gated area were Kartini’s and her husband other wife were buried. In the end I also brought him flowers.

We ended our perfect day at the beach, enjoying the sunset from a higher up place. 

It was lovely to end our journey here. We have been home since before Christmas, but this journey, the exhibition and all the amazing events and meets still fill up my mind and heart. I feel very thankful for finally getting to share this with Koen and for sharing my journey to Batik in an exhibition! 

Raden Adjeng Kartini’s final resting place

Groupphoto with the pembatiks of Batikworkshop Lumintu, 

we also got one with us all looking at the camera