INDONESIA BATIK
In 2009 Indonesian Batik was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural World Heritage.
There are many unknowns surrounding the origins of Batik in Indonesia,but it seems to have been introduced to Java from India around AD 1000.
Many aspects of Indonesian religion and arts, of which Batik is no exception,originated in India to be later adapted and rendered distinctly Indonesian.
Over the centuries tools and techniques were developed to a high degree of refinement in Indonesia, of which the chanting and cap explained briefly below are good examples.
The art and products of Batik in Indonesia were an exclusive domain of the royal family where it was loved for its extremely refined line and artistic appeal.From around the end of the 16th Century it gradually grew in popularity
among the general population.Through the influence of foreigners such as the Dutch and Chinese it has evolved significantly from its royal roots and has been transmitted to modern times.
I curated a line of textiles with an eye for patterns and materials that can easily fit into daily life. Each item was one-of-kind and made by hand individually with traditional techniques.
The chanting is an Indonesian innovation that is central to my work.The tiny copper vessel holds hot wax.The artisan holds the blank cloth outstretched on her palm and draws a delicate line of wax that flows from the narrow pipe at the end.
This tool's uncanny power for allowing artistic expression is difficult to express in words.
This is a copper plate stamp that was developed in ancient times to allow for mass production of textiles.
The pattern in the cloth is made by dipping the copper stamp into hot wax and pressing it onto the cloth where it cools. The die is added later and the wax is later melted off with hot water leaving a negative image.
For mass production, the CAP chap, a stamped stamp made of copper, was invented in the mid-19th century.
The stamps are individually stamped onto the cloth in rhythm. The craftsmen who make the stamps and the craftsmen who dip the stamps in wax and press them onto the cloth are separate, each requiring a high level of experience and technique.
Batik is a laborious process of dyeing and drying, and dyeing again. The color is applied and the wax is removed, and this process is repeated for each color that you see in the design.
About my partnerships with local artisans and craftsmen.
・ Above all, I am committed to fair trade and ethical textile production for my creations.
・My partnerships with local artisans and craftsman are cemented through long years of overcoming adversity together.
