Special agency needed to promote batik

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Participants at the closing of the 1997 International Batik Conference issued a declaration yesterday asserting the need for an agency on batik promotion and development.

The agency would be created to help promote batik in the world market and strengthen Indonesia's position as the center of batik design and production.

The nine-point declaration was read by conference participant Michael Hitchcock of the University of North London, England.

The declaration acknowledged that the conference was not able to determine the origin of batik, citing it required extensive historical research.

"The origins of batik are diverse," the declaration said but at the same time noting that batik has always been associated with Indonesia.

To retain Indonesia's identity as the world center for batik, the three-day conference suggested that the government properly recognize top Indonesian batik artists.

Although Yogyakarta is considered an international batik center, the conference expressed regret that the city did not have a world-class batik museum.

"We recommended that an innovative batik museum containing comprehensive information and a professionally trained staff be established in Yogyakarta," Hitchcock said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of students who had been participating in the Batik Youth Forum, called on older batik lovers to give the youth more freedom to experiment in batik designs.

"We respect the concept and values in traditional batik, but we want a freedom of expression to create something which would be more suitable with our youth spirit," said Edi Iskak, a student of the Indonesian Art Institute.

The conference was officially closed yesterday by Rosediana Suharto, head of the research and development agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while the batik exhibition, held in conjunction with the conference, was scheduled to end today. (23/10)