Batik Terap of Terengganu, Malaysia

Batiks hanging to dry at Batikworkshop owned by Wan Azhar, 

Terengganu, Malaysia

Thunder when driving to Terengganu

Batikmakers at Batikworkshop Kamis

Because we departed a day later than planned, we spend one night in Kuala Lumpur before traveling on to Terengganu. So me and Tony first took a bus to KL, a pretty long ride which allow me to write my previous post 'Holding Batik closer to our heart'.

Batik in Malaysia is mostly done by men and in Terengganu only by men. They make Batik Cap which is called Batik Terap or Batik Blok in Malaysia. We got to find out there are much more differences and found a, for me, new technique, discharge. Which apparently is also used on Java. 

Batik was, same as on Java, on the brink. More than getting makers out of poverty was all that could be done basically. Sadly the pandemic brought most efforts back to zero or worse, since batikmakers had to find other work and haven’t return to workshops still. 

During our long drive to Terengganu we saw mainly oil palm. Row, row and rows of it. Apparently this the oil palm is not just used for palm oil, which most products in Europe are made with, but it is also used as a “green fuel”. A complex struggle between needing the income, needing to bring down CO2, while loosing nature and the connection to it. 

Happy when the endless rows of palms made way for some more forest like hills and also very bad weather.

After our arrival we soon made are way to a cultural festival, Langkasuka Cultural Festival, being held in a local mall. This mall, the buildings around it and a flat were build were the former creative kampong was filled with batikmakers and musicians. Under the flag of ‘development’ the people of neighbourhood were relocated in this flat. Most batikmakers stopped working, some found work at the left over batikworkshops elsewhere in the region.

At the festival we met met Zakaria Ali Bin Ismail displaying his Cap/Block/Terap making skills at the mall. 

The next morning we met Pok Ya for breakfast. We chatted a little in Bahasa Indonesia, since he mastered the Art of the Cap making in Indonesia. As most makers did. 

Batiks was before it was made locally imported from Java. And the first Malay batiks were actually not made with wax resist, but printed with colour blocks. 

‘In Malaysia the meaning of batik is much larger than a simple definition of the physical batik process. For most Malaysians batik connotes certain design characteristics and particular motifs. 

The process is secondary.’

During the trip got to read a full bag of books on Malaysian batiks, so wonderful & as the book lover I am, I scanned read them all. In the book ‘Malaysian batik: Creating new traditions’ from 1987 was the explanation above.

Pok Ya, the last blok/terap/cap maker of Terengganu

Pok Ya's workshop at home

 

Back to Pok Ya, he started learning from age 22 on Java, traveling to places like Solo and Cirebon. He since then adapted the blocks, as they are called here, into a lighter weight, yet bigger shape, easier to repair, with a more open design.

After breakfast we got invited to his apartment, which is located on the ground were the former, flourishing creative kampong was. The kampong was also next to sea were Pok Ya gave workshops at the beach. The seafront got turned into a road in the early 2000’s. A final blow to this batik location.

Pok Ya operates from this flat, having a tiny workshop in his home and when he does the wax process, he uses the empty hallway. 

All the batikworkshop we visited next worked with blocks made by Pok Ya. He had students in the past, but their often less quality made block got send still to him for repairs.

Pok Ya is almost 70, a Master in his field, yet the last one standing. 

After our visit to Pok Ya, we headed to the local textile market, temporarily housed in Pasar Kedai Payang. The market is filled with tiny stores, filled with piles of textiles. They actually sell real Batik there, but one need to know how to navigate. 

Since I am not know with Malaysian Batik yet, for me it was surprising to see how different the batiks designs, colours and effects are. Batiks are next to wax resist with cap, decorated with marbling. A technique used to dye textiles and paper (used back in the day for the insight of a bookcover) known under names like ‘Suminagashi’, floating ink, in Japan, and in Turkey as ‘Ebru’. As the discharge technique, the marbling gives a unfamiliar layer to the Batiks for me. The effect can be quite busy, but also stunning. I brought one example for my collection at home.

While on Java print will be sold next to Cap or Tulis also, on the pasar in Terengganu it was not made a secret which was which. The real batik was on separate piles and had a higher prices, twice sometimes of the fake ones. Still it is of course sad so many mass produced items are sold, next to handmade pieces. Especially considering the shape the local Batik market is in…

Batiks made with wax resist Batik Cap/Terap & marbling

Printed textiles next to Batik Terap and machine woven checkered fabric

Miss Ain hand-dyeing the Batiks at Batikworkshop Kamis

After the market we made our way to the Batikworkshop Kamis, named after its owner Kamis. Here we got to see the full making process. I saw some photos before of the workshops in Malaysia, but seeing it with my own eyes was enlightening. 

The first space we entered had the batik cloths stretched out between wooden frames. Mas Lokman and Miss Ain were dyeing the cloth with a big sponge. I knew here ‘colet’ was done, handpainting in the colours, here called ‘conteng’, but also the larger parts are done by hand. And seem to be considered better than a colourbath. The stretched fabric can have a length between 2 and 4 meters, in the past longer even, but that seems no longer to be done. They make either kains/ sarongs or kaftans. Especially kaftans seemed to be popular in the mall. The batik is locally only worn at home and not turned into clothing. Brands in Kuala Lumpur do produce here to turn it into fashion.

In another building the terap was being done. Bapak Kamir, Cik and Hogan were working their rhythmic magic placing the blok with ease in repeating patterns. 

There were also batiks being boiled out and hang to dry. A active morning for one of the bigger workshops here. Made a reel on my instagram of the making process, check it out here!

After the tour, we got to shop some freshly dried Batiks. The colours are really stunning at Kamis, many purples which I love and the designs are mostly repeating graphic patterns. 

Bapak Kamir at Batikworkshop Kamis

Batiks after 'lorod', boiling out, here called 'rebus'

Hanging to try

In the last chapter of also the book ‘Malaysian batik: Creating new traditions':

Sherry Ortner categorizes symbols on a continuum ranging from "summarizing" to "elaborating” (On Key Symbols, 1973). Summarizing symbols synthesize the entire system, representing the system as a whole. A nation's flag is an example of this type of symbol. While a flag, a uniform, or the national emblem are recognized as national symbols, national symbols need not be specially created objects reserved for ceremonial use; they can also be "nouns and verbs" ', utilitarian objects, abstract concepts, and events. Thus, the concept of national culture can be a symbol in itself which guides people's actions and helps legitimize their activities in modern Malaysia. Batik as a craft and as a costume can be considered a symbol of the nation in this summarizing way.

Batik patterned outfits in China Town, Terengganu

Entrance of Terengganu State Museum

Our next stop was the local museum, Terengganu State Museum. A huge place, consisting of huge building that are beautiful, but surprisingly empty. We never the less enjoyed the textiles being display fully. Lovely pieces, showing early batik imitations, the other stunning Malaysian textiles and the technique. Little info with the pieces however. No dates, location, provenance, only name of the motifs. 

Outside the museum buildings is a little open air museum with palaces from the past. These wooden houses on poles are sooo sooo stunning, and very cool inside (as in not hot). 

In Terengganu are many houses from wood on poles still and I am so in love with them. Painted in bright colours; aqua, lilac, blues and yellow. Looking like a perfect place to live with chicken walking underneath the house. 

Textile display 'Batik Blok', colour block printed textiles 

at Terengganu State Museum

Silkscreen printed textile

at Terengganu State Museum

Palace at Terengganu State Museum

In the evening we returned to the mall to meet Batikartist Razak again. We fell the first evening for the Batik banners he made displaying local traditions. The batikpainting he was working on, was finished, showing a local tale of a warrior princess. 

Tony will bring work by Razak to aNERDgallery in Singapore soon!

Batikartist Razak with one of his banners 

on which the Art of Batik making is depicted

Detail of the work made by Batikartist Razak 

On our second day we visited the Batikworkshop owned by Wan Azhar. Up on arrival we only encounter one employe  still handeling the cap, En Fuad, and one taking care of the wax, Awang. All others went off to fish, which is not unusual here, most batikmakers are actually also fishermen.  Actually fishing pays better than making Batik, but you cannot always fish or make batik, so the combination works great. 

At Batikworkshop Wan Azhar we encounter the discharge technique, new for me, but used from the 1990’s, maybe earlier. I also heard it was/is used on Java. I never saw it before or realized it was made with wax resist since it is batik in reverse. The cloth is fully dyed first, then stamped with wax. In a bleaching agent the colour is removed again, keeping only the colour under the wax lines. It seems to be much afford, but the effect is pretty stunning and unique. Not the most sustainable way to make Batik, using bleach and something called ‘ACL China’. It is done because here the to fully cover the cloth with wax seems like a waste, while on fact the wax can be re-used. Curious to find out more about it.

Bapak En Fuad working on Batik discharge

Batik discharge hanging to dry

Workshops is at the waterfront

Mbak Fidah folding the sarongs

There were many bright coloured batik sarongs hanging to dry and when we went to the shop, we were told we could “pick from the washing line” since there was little stock. Batikworkshops here carry little stock, most is done pre-order for resellers or brands. Or it goes to the local textile market Pasar Kedai Payang.

Picking from the washing line we felt like kids in a candy store we couldn’t believe our luck.

Back in the shop Mbak Fidah showed us the Art of folding. My own performance for Shishani and Sisterhood(link) came back to mind. Here the folding is done with the help of a wooden instrument, which allows to fold the batik nice and tight. It was so lovely to see this last step, the folding with so much care, before the batiks leaves the workshop to a new home. 

On Wednesday after visiting one more workshop and a local store before we made our way back to KL were I finally got to see John Ang and his amazing exhibition ‘Splendours of Malay World Textiles’. 

Stay tunes for more on that!

Shop in China Town

Holding Batik closer to our heart

Presenting 'Demystifying Batik Belanda' at ACM in Singapore

Photo by Rossman Ithnain

Me in Utama pants by Baju by Oniatta in front of Utama pants 

in the exhibition 'Batik Kita' taken by the designer herself Oniatta Effendi

In the bus to Kuala Lumpur while writing this. The last few days or actually the last few months flew by. So a post reflecting on before my travels and this last week, depending how far we get during this busride.
After my trips to Vienna & Edinburgh, I stayed in the Netherlands, being busy with Batik, as always, I am so lucky I can truly call this my main job. 

At the end of June I was part of a symposium/workshop at the University Utrecht, first time and was surprised my paper got selected. The full program ‘Tapestry of Rules: Institutions and Cloth Industries in Global Comparative Perspective, 1750-2000’ mostly dove into the economic part of textile trade & production. Mainly graphs and numbers filled the slides. I was the only ‘artist’ on the program and my slides were all filled with images. Presented the zone ‘Fabric(s) of Leiden’ I created for Things That Talk on the Leidse cotton-printing company Leidsche Katoenmaatschappij. The feedback was really great, “you get to see the actual textiles”and everyone said that my photos were wonderful. So although this event wasn't strictly my field, my talk was welcomed with open arms. There were some great speakers & hope I can be part of this program by Textilelab in the near future again.

Paper Sarong workshop at MUZEE, looking together at the end results

Photo by Muzee Scheveningen/Sarah van Soldt

July was mostly filled with meet-up, preparing for Tong Tong Fair and meeting everyone before my filled August and being away in September. 
In August I gave three workshops, one Batik workshop at the beautiful Katoendrukkerij in Amersfoort and two workshops for the 15 August 1945 commemoration. Honoured to be asked to make a creative output for this, both in the form of a DIY and two workshops. I worked out the Paper Sarong concept I already did before, were people work together to make patterns, focussing more on the stories and don’t need to struggle with the difficult technique of Batik. 
The first I gave was at the cute museum MUZEE, 10 minutes from the sea in Scheveningen. It was a very hot day, but the workshop was still fully booked. After my introductions people started with trying out the oilpastel & watercolour on paper, before forming groups to make the sarong. Such nice pieces were made and more lovely, so many stories were shared. 
I gave the workshop again on 15 August at National Theater in Den Haag/The Hague, a bit more nervous, since the day is a heavy one for many. But the participants were really happy having this alternative, creating way to commemorate that day and it was such a lovely experience.

Paper Sarong workshop at Nationaal Theater, reflecting on the work will still painting

From 1 till 11 September the Tong Tong Fair was finally taking place again in Den Haag/The Hague. After May 2019, we were planned to be back with our Batik Stand; me, Romée Mulder and Myrthe Groot of Guave. But it was postponed 3 times. 
The concept of our Batik Stand was the same, only it would be bigger, better and more prominent. Our Batik Island as it was called by the organization was the first thing you see when entering! We couldn’t be more prominent. It was such a surprise, a dream come true. The main reason for organizing the Batik Stand was to bring real Batik back, to give it a stage again, and back it was!
The Batik Island was made up as half a circle, designed by Sabrina Luthjens with on the outside the exhibition ‘Batik makes the man’ which I curated together with Florine Koning after the concept of Leslie Boon. In the exhibition the development of batik worn by men from sarong to pants, and from pants to shirt was shown. With the question, or statement “The batik sleeping pants was an Indo-European invention worn strictly at home”, I started researching. I soon found out the Batik pants could be also found outside of the house, worn by European men while going on a picknick or at work. I also started finding photos of other local men wearing the pants. The pandemic time I spend going through archives and whenever I spotted a patterned trouser on a black and white photo I would save it. 
At the Tong Tong Fair we shared the first findings. What other questions they raise and that still need to be explored. But very happy that we could share this new perspective, or wider perspective on this history.
The open structure of the exhibition made people walk right in our shop, small expo on what Batik is and I had a chest with many batikbooks. We were there daily from 10am till 10pm. Almost every day we had a special guest like batikmaker, researcher, recently graduated students working with batik and even a chef. People could come to me with Batik they owned for consultation and bring a clothing item to the upcycle atelier by Guave. Both were used a lot, I saw so many lovely batiks and I will follow up for sure soon after my travels. Guave got more items to add Batik on then they had time for to do, amazing that we can bring this subtitle sustainable way of thinking about clothing in such a nice form. Also have to add credits to Ayla Pijman here to, the new member of Guave, who spend hours putting patches over stains and holes and adding pockets to often Fast Fashion items. 
I want to thank everyone who dropped by, for asking about Batik, browsing the books, make me sell out of my batik stock (amazing!), brought there precious batiks, the special guest; Sandra Niessen, Dido Michielsen, Yulia Pattopang, Pris Roos, Shuen-Li Spirit, Suzanne Liem/Batik Patron Ambarawa, Laurens Tan, Arlene Dwiasti, Maureen Tan and thank you to my dream team, the Guave ladies, up to the next adventure!

Your Batik Island hosts; me, Alya, Myrthe & Romée

Batik Consultation in the Batik Stand 

Amazing how many people used this service, thinking of doing it again in a separate event

Right after Tong Tong Fair, I was heading to Singapore. Feeling overwhelmed and unprepared I manage still to get everything done as good as I could, since my talks would be right after I arrived on Friday in the weekend. 
Was invited by Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) to give a talk as a continuation of getting my research ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik’ out there. After my talk for the Facebook group ‘Batik Sayang’, I was lucky enough to share part of my research in Vienna & Edinburgh already. 
* People asking me where to read more of my research, or watch related talks. Please feel free to contact me & I can send previous articles by email to you. More articles are coming out/up, so I keep you updates on that too.

Presenting 'Demystifying Batik Belanda' at ACM in Singapore

Photo by Rossman Ithnain

Coastal batiks / Pesisiran in 'Batik Kita' at ACM

'Batik Kita' at ACM with view on Batik from Cirebon

After a direct flight, I arrived in the early evening. The next day was my talk at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) in Singapore. I went a little earlier so I could see the exhibition ‘Batik Kita’, were my talk ‘Demystifying Batik Belanda' was part of. After seeing briefly the wonderful museum, I headed toward the basement to give my talk. A little nervous at first, but so glad with all the familiar faces that turned up, I share some of the finding from my recent research ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik’. After my talk there was some time for questions, and there were so many, so great and diverse. Someone asked if I used a computer program to make my matches of batiks on wearers. If someone invented it, please let me know. But I had to explains it is just hours going through digitale databases. Someone asked about how to recognized if a Batik has been worn and many questions on how we should deal with other mistakes that might be in Batik literature. Very happy to meet the new generation that is ready to dive into this history too. 

'Kawan Kita' at Galeri Toko Kita with host Tony Sugiarta

On Sunday I was the guest at Galeri Toko Kita to talk among Batik friends in the Kawan Kita talk series organised by Oniatta Effendi & Tony Sugiarta by aNERDgallery. In the beautiful shop, which is a truly a love letter to Batik, I got to tell more behind the scenes/screens on my journey to Batik. We got so wrapped up in a discussion on Fake Batik and why we all love Batik, I didn’t even share all my slides. I also finally got to shop a Baju by Oniatta piece, my own pair of Utama pants. Which I wore right away to ACM again on Wednesday when I got to see ‘Batik Kita’ and the rest of the museum. 
It was great to have two such different presentations, and so wonderful that people came to both. Feeling like am welcomed by a new Batik family here, I feel so lucky and honoured. Thank you al for coming, supporting my journey and for loving Batik. As Oniatta says it perfectly: “Jauh Dikenang Dekat Disayang. Holding batik closer to our hearts.”

Showing my Batik relate Art works during 'Kawan Kita' at Galeri Toko Kita

After the weekend filled with talks, I was lucky to spend the other days meeting friends, being a tourist and trying out all local foods. Singapore is really amazing, all the colourful houses, had to photograph every single one. The murals in the Chinese neighborhood to explain its history. The Museums, just saw the National Gallery and ACM collection, but they are already so good. Cannot wait to return and visit the others. 
How lucky I am being guided around this interesting city ~ Monday started of with a visit to the National Gallery together with Tony. I went a little earlier and found myself in the rooms showing works from the collection in a decolonized space. First display I saw was on Batik and the influence Dutch colonial rule had on it. Next room had several paintings by Raden Saleh. Being eye to eye with the tigers that in the past were eye to eye with our royal family! Another stunning piece of horseman, made me think of a bamboo hat I got to see from the Tropenmuseum collection to write a blogpost for Modemuze. Wonder the hat in the collection can actually be a noblemen hat…

Painting 'Six Horsemen Chasing Deer' by Raden Saleh from 1860

At National Gallery Singapore

Raden Sarah's 'Boschbrand (Forest Fire)' from 1849

At National Gallery Singapore

The exhibition I had to see was on Aboriginal Art, ‘Ever Present: First people Art of Australia’. I knew it included Batiks from Batik Utopia, but it had also paintings and batik by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, such an inspiration (see previous blogpost 'London Baby'). A great show, a must visit if you can. It shows the development of Aboriginal Art in 4 spaces, from early acrylic painting to more political statement pieces. 
On Monday evening Eunice organised an amazing dinner to meet Batik friends with amazing Indian food.

Detail of Batik by Emily Kame Kngwarreye

in the exhibition ‘Ever Present: First people Art of Australia'

At National Gallery Singapore

Batik on cloth 'Mother and Child' by Chuah Then Teng, c. 1950s,

At National Gallery Singapore

Tuesday I got a tour of city by the perfect tourguide Eeling. We met in Utrecht, when I gave her and Eunice a tour. Was so happy we got to spend the day to explore the Chinese, Indian & Peranakan Chinese neighborhood and all the yummy food that goes with it. Saw so many houses I would love to live in, so colourful and stunning. 

Mural in Chinese neighbourhood

Writing a letter to Koen 

Photo by Eeling Koh

Colourful houses of Singapore

On Wednesday I could join the tour with Oniatta through Batik Kita with nice stories by our tourguide Hafiz Rashid. The exhibition is stunning. The batiks are displayed in full length, 3 above each other. It made it a little hard to see details on the pieces on top, but it was very nice how the different styles/areas/times were shown three pieces at a time. Next to the full batiks, there was much room for batik fashion. A section showed wearers from Singapore, from the flight attendance uniforms in the past, to nowadays well known batik wearers. The other ‘stages’ showed different designers, which included the Utama pants by Oniatta. So great to own & wear a piece that is on display! 
There is a catalog in the making, so keep you posted when it is out!

Next to Batik Kita, got invited to lunch by Jackie Yoong and she showed me the Fashion and Textiles space at ACM ~ A recently acquired 18th century English traditional dress made from painted cotton from India was the highlight in the room, next to sarong from three generations of the Nio family paired with kebaya ~  of which one was from the former Museum Nusantara collection. 
After lunch I walked around ACM again to see the Batik Besurek in the Islamic Art. I used this object in my talk since it is actually an imitation, most likely made in the Netherlands. It therefor is a real ‘Batik Belanda’ { > read/hear more about how Batik Belanda was the local name on Java for imitations from Europe in the 19th & 20th century in this story/YouTube video/instagram post}
We bumped into Chor Lin Lee, curator of Batik Kita at ACM, who was the one inviting me for the talk ~ happy I could finally meet Chor Lin in person, the author of the first Batik book I bought and cannot wait for the next one.

Thursday I got to meet textile collector, curator and writer Peter Lee. It is so amazing to meet so many people during this trip that I admired from afar for so long. Got to see some extraordinary pieces from Peter’s collection and an open invite to browse through more when I return to Singapore.  

Will return to Singapore for sure, still many people to meet & many to revisit. 

Thank you all for the warm welcome & looking forward seeing you online, 

in person or somewhere in the world!

Colourful house in Little India

in Singapore

Haste Ye Back - Batiks and more in Edinburgh

Lisa Mason & Emily Taylor unpacking a Batik Sarong in the depot

Reflecting in the Paisley display at National Museum of Scotland

End of May I was in Edinburgh in Scotland. It was my first time in Scotland and first flight since 2019. Don't want to stand to long still at the drama at the airport, but it was challenging and it left a strange cloud over my visit. My visit was absolutely wonderful, so time for a post! 

I was happily surprised be in such a warm hearted welcoming city. I managed somehow to be indoors every time rain came pouring down, which was lucky since I arrived without my luggage, to continue my route in sunshine.
I was not just visiting Edinburgh, I was invited to be part of the The Association of Dress Historians Annual New Research Conference 2022 for their New Research in Dress History Conference held at National Museum of Scotland. Before my visit, I reached out to multiple people, hoping I could maybe get a paid gig somewhere to pay for my travels. As an independent researcher I found out it seems to be impossible to get any funding, either you need to be a (PhD) student or the instituut/museum you work at pays for it....My father actually sponsored this trip, thank you so much!, making it possible for me to give my talk in person, yeah, next to exploring the city and visiting the depot.  

Visit to the National Museums Collection Centre

Through my reaching out to people, I learned the National Museum of Scotland (NMS) actually has a Batik collection. I knew through the amazing project ‘Colouring the Nation’ {look up this projectsblog, it is amazing} that the museum hold many samplebooks from the flourish cottonprinting days. One of the researchers of this project informed me  that some of the samplebooks kept at NMS also contained pieces of Batik. Informing about this at the museum, I got told there were also Batiks, fragments and full cloths. I was invited to come and take a lot. Because the Batik collection hadn't been explored much and current privacy restrictions prevent from sharing names of donators, I had to make a selection from a Excel sheet with just a very short description, a location, sometimes a region/city, dates and inventory numbers of which I figured out they corresponded with the data of entering the collection. From the Assistant Curator Southeast Asia I also received any photos they had of the Batiks, which was mostly partial details. I decided to select the batiks that seemed the oldest, had no photographs and sounded useful for my research. Everyone was super busy at the museum, so eventually I got a planned in for two hours on Wednesday morning. 

I arrived on Monday, late, happy I had the Tuesday to find my way in the city and to buy a new wardrobe { welcome to provide you with a personal rant hehehe}. So the next day, I was ready to go to the depot. I took the bus to the depot of NMS, a little outside of the city. I arrived at a kind of industry plot and realised how interesting it is we keep these pieces at such ugly locations in a way when they are not on display. But they are probably the safest. Welcomed by Emily Taylor, Assistant Curator European Decorative Arts and organiser of the Dress Historian Conference, and Lisa Mason, Assistant Curator Modern & Contemporary Design, I felt honoured they freed up time in their very full schedules just so I could see these Batiks and have a glimpse at the samplebooks. 
I really saw the Batiks fast and was glad I got some extra time after with the samplebooks, but couldn't see all the Batiks I had on my list. Happy with the ones I did get to see and exciting to learn more about them on a later moment in time since there is still some info I hope to get about collectors and donators. As I mentioned, I made the selection based on limited data, but it were great pieces we got to see. On some I found a signature which will make it easier to get more info on the pieces later, but most were unsigned, even the newer, very fine, synthetic coloured ones, like the one below, inventory number A.1982.105. This one has such a beautiful design of a buketan motif repeating with fighting birds. The colours and very fine isen-isen are stunning. A design that if you make this today will surely be very populair. 

Sarong inventory number A.1982.105

Taking the Prada covered Kain panjang in

Another piece I would like to highlight in this post is a stunning Sogan coloured Batik decorated with Prada, inventory number A.1984.319. I never saw a Batik like this before and it made me really curious. 

When unrolling the Batik it turned out one side was completly complimented with gold decorations, what is called Prada. Prada can be found more commonly on Batik Pesisir, Northcoast Batiks either with Laseman or more Indian inspired motifs. This Batik is in a sense Indian inspired in motif, the repeating motifs refer to woven patterns, but the colour is classic Batik Keraton from Yogya. The very finely made Kain Panjang is covered fully with gold. Normally an edge on-top will be left uncovered, since the gold will get damaged there easily when wearing. The Batik was however designed to be worn since the other side of the Batik has a gold part too. This part is just big enough to pleat the fabric, 'diwru', at the front when wearing it, the royal way. A fascinating piece that maybe reveals its story in the future!

Detail of inventory number A.1984.319

Back side of inventory number A.1984.319 with gold decorated part for 'wiron'

Unrolling A.1883.65 

In my previous post I wrote about how batiks are stored differently on different locations. At NMS the Batik were kept on big roles together. A great way of storing multiple textiles, saving space while making sure they get no (extra) creases, but a more time consuming methode when you want to take a look. Some where already lead out, but at the end we couldn't see some because they were somewhere on a roll with many more. With my left over time, we choose to see the oldest ones. Based on the inventorynumber, A.1883.65 & A.1883.65 A, I figured this might be from 1883 and maybe would have a connection to the World colonial exhibition held in Amsterdam in that same year. They didn't, but were specifically bought for the museum. These very rough Batiks reminded me of samples I saw books of the Dutch cottonprinters. At first the colours look like those of Tanah Abang/Karet Batiks from the same time, but those Batik are much finer and more detailed. So maybe this unaware buyer got sold really rough pieces, or there were made elsewhere that didn't reach this fine quality yet...The colours however are still very bright. Both had an original old rond label with both the same info: 'Edinburgh Museum of Science & Art, 1883, Industrial Art, NO 65'. Both were also sown together as sarong with one fun difference, one being carefully hand sown while the other was machine stitch with multiple gabs in the thread. 

In the digital database was noted it was a gift from 'A.S. Cumming'. After some googeling I think it could be Admiral Sir Arthur Cumming KCB (1817 – 1893) who was an officer of the Royal Navy. Wiki provides the following info: 'Cumming achieved flag rank on 27 February 1870 when he was promoted to rear-admiral. He served for a while as a port admiral before becoming the Naval Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies in 1872. He remained in the East Indies until March 1875 and was promoted to vice-admiral on 22 March 1876. Cumming's promotion to admiral came on 9 January 1880 and he retired from the service on 6 April 1882. After retirement he lived mainly at Foston Hall, near Derby.'

So it could be possible these Batik were collected by this Cumming during his time in the 'Indies' and were donated when he retired and was back in England. But I also understood this name is very common, so maybe it is not him at all. But if he was, the Batiks date from before 1875...

Detail of A.1883.65 

Samples in Samplebook

Last I could check out during my depot visit were two sample books, one deconstructed factory sample book and one from the cotton printing company Alexandria that look more for the customer side of things. Just flipping through the pages and seeing next to the Turkey red samples, the cotton printing compagnies in Scotland got rich with, samples that look like Batik, Wax Print and copies very similar to the fakes from the Netherlands. Honestly I wish I could dive into these books and this interesting cotton printing history so much further. But it was great to have a little preview ;) and to discover more in the museum the following days.

Alexandria Samplebook

Samples in Samplebook

National Museum of Scotland

Thursday afternoon we got a curator tour at one of the museums, and I choose Dovecot studios since they had an exhibition on the Wallpapers by Morris & Co. So in the morning I headed first to NMS. When I entered I was so happy I didn't go the day before after my depot visit. This museum is HUGE! So huge, I missed an entire wing that I checked out in between talks the next day.

The museum is housed in an architectural marvel that also function as a time-portal wondering why visitors aren't wearing queue de Paris and high hats. Every flour of the 3 flours is divided in large rooms tackling different subjects displaying many objects. The building feels colonial and every room tries harder then the next to deal with this history. 

It was interesting again to see how museums abroad deal with it. While I appreciated it, it still felt very incomplete/one sided (why not add Europe if you display all continents in one room in single display cabinets and see why this isn't right) and it is just a lot. To not dwell on this too much for now, I wanted to share some highlights from what was on display.

'Shababik Birds 1' by Ibrahim Said, 2016

I spotted these plates 

and learned from the description these were being produced in Scotland 

for the Malay market. During the 19th century Scottish potteries exported huge quantities of

earthenware to Southeast Asia. J&MP Bell in Glasgow developed specific

designs with Malayan pattern names to cater for this export market.

They were given names like ‘Burung kupu’ & ‘Tarlulu bagus’. 

How fascinating!

'Summer' by Margaret Macdonald MackIntosh

Art Nouveau Cabinet from Oak, inlaid with marquetry, metal and mother of

pearl, ormolu mounts, designed by Louis Majorelle

Nancy, France, c1900

The wing I missed the first time was all about industry 

with much on the several textile industies

Paisley from Paisley

'From roughly 1800 to 1850, the weavers of the town of Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland, became the foremost producers of Paisley shawls. Unique additions to their hand-looms and Jacquard looms allowed them to work in five colours when most weavers were producing paisley using only two.[19] The design became known as the Paisley pattern. By 1860, Paisley could produce shawls with 15 colours, which was still only a quarter of the colors in the multicolour paisleys then still being imported from Kashmir.'

- Wiki

Display on Turkey Red

The Art of Wallpaper - Morris & Co. at Dovecot Studios

As I mentioned before as part of the conference program we could select a curator lead tour in one of the museums. I selected the tour through the exhibition 'The Art of Wallpaper - Morris & Co' because I love wallpaper and I love William Morris, but I honestly forgot how much I wallpaper & William Morris. The exhibition based, made after the briljant publication with the same title showcased original wallpaper pieces from Morris & Co, the first ones designed by William Morris himself, all other designers and earlier wallpaper that might have influenced Morris work. 

It brought me back to my early Artdays, making meters of hand-stamped patterns on wallpaper for installations. I enjoyed this exhibition so much and it was so great to get the tour by curator Jane Carey sharing all the great details and insights. I could write another blogpost just on this exhibition, but will just share some photos below and advice you to buy the book, it is a great publication with a lot of information and nice big prints of the wallpapers, a must have for any fan of Morris!

Curator Jane Carey pointing out a nice detail, a handwritten note on production

As I said, there is much more to share and tell about this adventure and inspiring trip, and of course I also gave a talk. I would like to turn my talk 'A Batik collection fit for a Lady' into an article for The Journal of Dress History, so in the near future more news on that.

For now, hope you enjoyed my post on Edinburgh, sampai jumpa!