Location is everything when it comes to batik design<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Batik, a famous Indonesian fabric, comes in a
\nlarge variety of designs. Each batik design reflects the social
\nconditions of the place where it is made. Batik made by coastal
\npeoples is different from that produced by courtiers in Central
\nJava. Batik represents the artistic expression of the maker and
\ntranslates the social activities surrounding them.<\/p>\n
No one knows when batik art came to Indonesia, but John Gillow
\nin his book Traditional Indonesian Textiles liberally estimates
\nthat it arrived between the 10th and 16th centuries.<\/p>\n
Batik is also practiced in India, South East China, Turkestan
\nand West Africa, but it was in Indonesia that the craft reached
\nits maturity.<\/p>\n
The first actual mention of the word \"batik\" is found in a
\nDutch bill of lading pertaining to shipment of cloth from Batavia
\n(Old Jakarta) to Sumatra in 1680. It was Sir Stamford Raffles,
\nthe British governor during the brief British rule in Indonesia,
\nwho wrote the first detailed account of batik process in the
\nearly l9th century.<\/p>\n
Art<\/p>\n
The art of batiking is essentially the same as drawing or
\npainting on a piece of white cloth. The main tool, the canting,
\nis used instead of a pencil or brush, and liquid wax substitutes
\npaint. The canting consists of a small brass container to hold
\nthe liquid wax, a small spout or nozzle, and a wooden or bamboo
\nhandle. There are various sizes of nozzles, depending on the size
\nof dot or the fineness of the lines to be drawn.<\/p>\n
The wax is removed after the cloth is dyed. The parts that are
\ncovered by the wax remains white or whatever color that area was
\npreviously dyed. Because the wax functions as a resisting medium,
\nthis process is called the resist-dye process.<\/p>\n
The resist-dye technique has been known in many countries for
\ncenturies. Many kinds of materials have been used as resist
\nmedia, including a porridge of wheat or sticky rice, or paraffin.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, the resist-dye technique was improved with the
\ninvention and use of the canting tool, and the use of wax as
\nresist material in the l800s. This process of repeatedly waxing
\nand dyeing is called the batik process and produces fine quality
\nbatik. This same process is still used today and is indigenous to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Designs<\/p>\n
Indonesian batik designs are mostly derived from nature and
\nmyths from the folklore of the waves of foreign cultures that
\nhave engulfed the archipelago.<\/p>\n
The many batik designs all fall within geometric, non-
\ngeometric (figurative) and background designs known as isen. The
\nmost commonly used geometric designs are called ceplokan. These
\ndesigns are forms of flora, fauna and bird life standardized into
\ngeometric shapes. Other popular geometric patterns are the garis
\nmiring (diagonal lines) of which the parang rusak (broken knife)
\nand the udan liris (light rain) are the most famous. The kawung
\ndesign groups ovals arranged in fours are also classed as
\ngeometric, as are the tambal miring (patchwork) and the tumpal
\n(spear) designs. Patchwork batik is considered magical.<\/p>\n
The semen (non-geometric) designs are patterns of swirling
\nfoliage combined with stylized depictions of birds, animals and
\nmythological figures derived from Javanese, Indian, Chinese,
\nArabic and European sources.<\/p>\n
The isen (background) designs are simple, repetitive motifs
\nwhich, in less expensive batik, can cover the whole surface of a
\ncloth. The Chinese-derived banji swastika is an important isen
\nmotif. The oldest patterns are of Javanese origin, notably the
\ngringsing (fish scale clusters in dotted semicircles) which are
\ntraditionally worn to ward off illnesses.<\/p>\n
Batik design underwent numerous changes and innovations as the
\nprocess spread throughout Java, Madura and Bali.<\/p>\n
The batik of Central Java is mainly produced around the courts
\nof Yogyakarta and Surakarta, and is characterized by the use of
\nsoga brown and indigo dyes. Batik if one of the five fine and
\ncomplicated arts of Javanese civilization. Women of the kraton
\n(courts) spent their leisure time creating patterns mainly based
\non flowers and foliage. The patterns reflect the splendid and
\npolitically important roles of the Central Javanese courts
\nthroughout Dutch colonial rule.<\/p>\n
There are specific designs developed by areas outside Central
\nJava, such as the Cirebon style, the north Java coastal styles in
\nIndramayu and Pekalongan, as well as the southwest Java style in
\nBanyumas, Tasikmalaya and Garut.<\/p>\n
East Java, including Madura, and even Sumatra also developed
\ntheir own batik fashion and technique. Unlike Central Java, which
\nkept to the same patterns, batik designs from Pekalongan,
\nCirebon, Tasikmalaya were much more experimental and innovative.
\nBatikmakers in these areas were not restricted to certain rules.
\nThey experimented with various designs as well as local and
\nimported textiles. Batik produced in these areas is more colorful
\nand has bolder designs. Light colors like beige, light blue,
\npink, red, light green were used in various batik products
\nincluding kain panjang and selendang.<\/p>\n
The dynamic blend of cultural influences that centered around
\nthe northern ports of Java produced the sometimes gaudy splendors
\nof north coast batik between l840 and l940. North coast
\nentrepreneurs were innovative, deriving designs from such diverse
\nsources such as Chinese mythology, Arabic calligraphy and even
\nEuropean horticultural books. Many batik entrepreneurs from the
\nnorth coast area around Pekalongan were the first to experiment
\nwith the new aniline dyes coming from Germany at the end of the
\nl9th century.<\/p>\n
Floods of machine-printed copies of indigenous batik patterns
\nstarted arriving in Java from Europe in the l830s. Many Chinese
\nand Arabic businesspeople owned batik workshops which were set up
\nto produce batik that was printed with a cap (stamp).<\/p>\n
An important development of batik design was also made by
\nDutch batik entrepreneurs. In l890, a number of Dutch women,
\nincluding Mrs. J. Jans and Mrs. Eliza Van Zuylen, established a
\nworkshop in Pekalongan and produced batik in a European style.
\nThey derived ideas from Dutch horticultural books, magazines and
\nother drawing books. The European-style batik became famous for
\nits distinguished color combinations, mostly soft pastel colors,
\nand different layout.<\/p>\n
Batik designs continue to develop. Batik centers are now
\nexpanding to areas like Irian Jaya, East Nusa Tenggara,
\nKalimantan and Sulawesi because of the government intensive
\ntransmigration program. Batik designs from these new areas
\ncombine traditional Javanese patterns and local art forms.<\/p>\n
Many local designers and batik producers experiment with
\ncontemporary designs and methods. (raw)<\/p>",
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