Tri Tito Karnavian Urges the Public to Appreciate Batik as a Work of Art

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The General Chair of Solidarity of Women for Indonesia (Seruni) of the Red and White Cabinet, Tri Tito Karnavian, hopes that public awareness can be increased to better appreciate batik as a high-value work of art.

Tri affirmed that batik is not just a fabric used in everyday life, but part of the nation’s cultural identity that must continue to be preserved.

According to her, many people still do not fully understand the long process of making batik. Behind the beauty of the motifs and colours in the batik fabrics, there are skills, perseverance, and a considerable amount of time required.

Tri believes that the lack of appreciation for batik is a challenge in itself for cultural preservation efforts.

The development of the modern textile industry offers a variety of more practical and affordable fabric options.

According to her, this has led some people to overlook the artistic and philosophical values contained in hand-drawn batik and traditional batik.

“This is because it is being replaced by other fabrics that are more practical and cheaper. This is a challenge for all of us to ensure that the heritage of batik-making skills can continue to be maintained and not lost,” said Tri at the Acculturation Exhibition of Peranakan Batik, at the Kompas Tower, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (13/5/2026).

The statement serves as a reminder that the preservation of batik is not only the responsibility of artisans or the government, but also of all levels of society as users and appreciators of cultural works.

Tri also highlighted the public’s habit of often viewing batik merely as a clothing product without considering the long process behind its creation.

She believes that the habit of bargaining for the lowest possible price when buying batik can reflect that appreciation for the work of the artisans still needs to be improved.

“We often wear batik every day, and when we buy batik, we bargain for the lowest possible price. Seeing the process, which is not easy, this makes us all realise,” she said.

From drawing patterns, waxing, colouring, to the final stage, the entire process requires high precision and patience.