Batik as an Art Cultural and Pride of Indonesian Society

Respective Owner : http://wennybutikgayaku.blogdetik.com

Have you seen that picture above? The picture is about one of batik motifs that painted in a cloth. This batik is from one of the regions in Indonesia; Madura, East Java. Some of us around the globe may know already about ' batik ' word and refer to art which Indonesian batik is one of  ' Intangible World Cultural Heritage of Humanity ' in 2009 by UNESCO. 

Then, for you who still don't know what ' batik ' is ? I would explain a bit about batik in global views. 

" Batik is one of cultural art of  Indonesian paintings by using special techniques in making the motifs which has been representing  the motif as its own characteristic signature from one culture tribe or a particular region in Indonesia and  by using wax-resist dyed ( using ' malam '-red ) in most common technology usage where it made on many type of cloth materials, on canvas etc "

Etymology

In its etymology, ' batik ' word itself was derived from 2 words; ' amba ' which means write and ' titik ' which means dot/point.

Batik as an Art Culture in Indonesia

Batik has been becoming Indonesian's root cultural specially for Javanese tribe. Batik has been existed in Indonesia starting in 12th century due to the note of G.P. Rouffaer although he was noted that it wasn't sure, only the hypothesis shown from the ' canting ' ( tool for painting the cloth ) and the motif of ' gringsing ' which were found in the statue artifact of  Prajnaparamita  ( one of the Hindu Goddess ) in East Java. 

In Europe, Indonesian batik history was written in a book of  Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles which entitled 

" History of  Java "  in 1817. In following years, Van Rijekevorsel gave his batik collection that he got from Indonesia to ethnic museum in Rotterdam, and in the year of 1900, this batik which has been ethnic museum belonging was performed in Exposition Universelle in Paris, and batik Indonesia have had becoming the apple eyed of audiences because its beauty in its arts.

The reasons why batik has an artistic substances because the way in making it. The techniques of wax-resist dyed which would taking details in doing it, the substances in coloring ( before there was limited colors options because still using some trees' parts such as for brown color, the leaves for the green color, or magenta-red was made from the mixed of flower and the stick of tree ) and also the tool which using ' canting ' which only found in Indonesia and also refer to batik's motif where each motif written in a cloth would symbolized of one tribe or social status of a person or specific signature of one region represented in the motif of batik itself and the beliefs. Every batik has its own story, that what is art all about.

The influences of other countries in batik art of  Indonesia also strong. Refer too what mentioned above of G.P. Rouffaer that it wasn't sure when exactly the time-line of batik was started in Indonesia, because it might be from India or Srilanka. As noted also in history that the technique of wax-resist dyed has been already existed in the 4th of century in Egypt as the eldest culture in the world due to the invention of mummy's clothes which has this type of technique in using ' malam '. And also by the art history written the same technique was found too in China, India and Japan due to the invention of artifacts. 

Once, we pay notice in those art from each country, Indonesian batik has all those countries influences. Such as in some batik, you would find lovely bright colors which influenced by Chinese style in coloring or phoenix motif in a batik has been influenced in Indonesian batik art itself. 

And then you would find also tulip flower motif, this tulip or flowers motif was coming from Netherlands. Indonesian adopt this motif by the transferring information once Dutch was our colony. Also the technique 

' stamp ' and ' print ' to make easier the production due to the time-line process effectively, which has been introduced by Netherlands too.

Types of  Batik

As it was mentioned before that after following years, batik was doing its progress in the way of making it. So here are the type of batik itself :

• Batik Tulis ( Written Batik ); means is the drawn cloth media with motif by using a liquid wax, where the wax was put inside a ' canting ' ( for subtle motif  ) and for large size it use brush. After the depiction has been completed, the cloth that had been drawn with motif; it goes to next coloring process accordance the wish of the maker, usually would start from the mild-colors then goes to darker-colors. After finished, the maker rinse it into some liquid water in aim to produce a smooth nice texture production of  batik as desired once before and drying processing under the sun. This process would take time 2 or 3 months for one batik.  ( note : long time back, in making it a batik they use natural coloring without chemical but lately hardly to find the real batik tulis and once we find it it will expensive cost )
• Batik Cap or Batik Print ( Cap = Stamp ); this is the advance technology by using copper mold to draw and coloring the batik. We all do know about this right?. This process would just take 2 or 3 days only. 
• Batik Lukis ( Lukis = Painting ); this as only derivative in art. It just need acrylic coloring paints and painting it into media such as in canvas.

The Most Famous Batik in Indonesia

The most famous batik is from all over Java areas, even some anthropology experts believe the real root of batik were from East Indonesia ( Toraja, Flores, Halmahera and Papua; due to the history that these areas where found by the experts that they are the eldest culture in Indonesia which already knew how to do batik at first ). However, still Java who has the specific and lot of models, types and colors in its progressed. 

Most of  Javanese batik has own its symbols which has meaning behind the motif, it talks lots about belief of animism, dynamism, Hindu or Buddha. The most progressive area in making batik is in Solo, Central Java. 

The Other Technique of batik from Minangkabau area, Sumatera.

This technique almost extinct once Japan was our colony. This technique called ' batik tanah liat ' ( tanah liat = clay ). The maker uses clay soil for coloring batik. Most traditional motifs are sea horse motif, phoenix motif which influenced by Chinese culture. 

Nowadays this batik term ala' Minangkabau starts to rise up again. 

In here I attached some pictures of  Batiks

That's a Picture of  ' Canting '
Respective owner of Picture : http://www.expat.or.id

That picture is ' Malam ' for Waxing
Respective owner of picture : http://fanabis.blogdetik.com

It's the processing in making Motif
Respective owner of picture: http://v1olet.blogspot.com

Batik in a Dress
Respective Owner of  Picture : http://www.olx.co.id

Batik in Painting Art
Respective Owner and Thank You for Nani Sakrie

In respect of Batik as our traditional culture art, every Friday all offices in Indonesia specially government departments in Indonesia and schools wears Batik. 

Batik is beautiful !! Viva Indonesia !!