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Conference Papers/Panels Batik Traditions of Malay Sumatra: Motifs and Meaning The art of batik has been closely associated with the island of Java in Indonesia, where batik making reached its peak in skill and artistry. It is used both as an expression of Javanese ethnicity and, through government initiatives, of Indonesian nationality. Traditions on neighboring islands such as Madura and Sumatra have tended to be ignored or marginalized, and regarded as inferior offshoots. However, recent research suggests that this is not the case. In particular, Jambi, on Sumatra, had its own batik tradition, which differed fundamentally from Java's and may even predate it. The differences are still evident in contemporary batik. This presentation will examine the history and aesthetics of Jambi batik, document and analyze their design structure and motifs and compare them with other Malay forms and those of Java. Indigo-Soga Brown-Mengkudu Red Are traditional Javanese ancestor worship and layers of kinship finding a visual expression in the dyeing aesthetic of Indonesian batik? Traditionally, batik has focused on no more than three colors, indigo, soga brown and mengkudu red. An essential part of Javanese philosophy is a striving towards harmony; in batik, it can be seen in this use of harmonious color. Over-dyeing a piece of cloth successively with two or three different shades and preserving these layers of color is unique to batik. It produces an aesthetic phenomenon very different from mixing two or three shades of acrylic paint. This presentation will explore the relationship between batik and Indonesian sacred concerns. Early 20th Century Batik in America: From Bohemian to Bourgeois, Nicola Shilliam, Ph.D., USA Three notable textile scholars will focus on the little known popularity of batik in the USA during the first quarter of the twentieth century, a period that encompassed the Arts and Crafts Movement as well as Art Deco. Batik originally appealed to textile artists for its potential for pictorial and decorative innovation; however, by 1917 it had become vogue also as bohemian dress. It was soon appropriated by the more mainstream fashion world for its "exoticism" and the textile industry reproduced the look and motifs of authentic batik in machine-made fabrics for commercial distribution. The panel will consider this background and also the unique strategies used by the artists in New York to gain recognition for batik textiles as art. Panel members will focus on three exceptional American batik artists: Marguerite Zorach, Arthur Crisp, who collaborated with the Dutch immigrant Pieter Mijer and Ethel Wallace, who introduced this early twentieth-century audience to the wide possibilities of batik as art. Batik in the Mediterranean The history of batik around the Mediterranean littoral and its present position in Greek design schools show a long, continued growth and appreciation of this textile process. Hellenic batik most likely began 4000 years ago, far before Homer's Penelope and Calypso. The extant fourth BCE Kurgan woolen cloth of pictorial Greek motifs and stripes, "painted" in the technique of "hot batik," is proof of a very early thriving batik practice. More recently, from the second half of the 20th century, the art of batik has become an increasingly popular outlet for artistic expression among the design students of Athens. With knowledge gained from the past the new textile designers are moving forward, combining traditional techniques and modern innovation. Rozome in Japan: Old Craft, New Art Four important rozome artists from Japan, each distinguished by unique, individual approaches to wax resist design, will discuss rozome in contemporary Japan. In considering how Japanese rozome differs from wax resist techniques in other cultures, and how it differs from other resist dyeing techniques widely employed in Japan, this panel will provide an overview of rozome as traditional craft and contemporary art. Contemporary Batik--New Directions Out of the cultural heritage of Indonesia, Japan and China and their social and artistic development comes a long, rich and varied tradition: batik from Java, roketsuzome from Japan and laran from China. And in this age, from all corners of our globalized world, comes a cross-fertilization of techniques, styles and processes that will inform the batik of tomorrow. What is that future and where will it lead us? What are its influences in contemporary artistic circles? How does the present exclude or encompass the rich historical past? What new inventions or 'full circles' have the artists of this wide-ranging medium explored? This will be the focus of Contemporary Batik- New Directions. Futuristic Batik: A New Genre Batik is a method of producing characteristic designs on fabric using a wax or gum resist. In the traditional technique, a wax design is first applied with a brush or tool. The fabric is dyed and then the wax is either partially or wholly removed. This process is repeated using different colors of dye. While this definition applies to textile-related batik, it may not apply to the multitude of different surface materials that contemporary batik practitioners utilize and adapt in their own personal work. While it is relatively easy to change the choice of tool, an immutable factor in the batik equation is the use of wax or gum type resist agents. Stoyel's personal intention to raise low-tech batik to the realm of high-tech batik through the introduction of technological innovations such as CO2 Photon Laser technology. This presentation will explore the use of Laser technology for the creation of a new genre of batik. Australian Identity or Multicultural Melting Pot: Visual Imagery Although Australia is geographically positioned in the Asian - Pacific region, with Indonesia as its closest neighbor, it is still regarded as a western culture by most of its Southeast Asian neighbors. So, is there a potential identity crisis? Australia began as a primarily British colonial outpost in 1788 and emerged as a nation in 1901. This colonial history influenced Dyer's initial social, cultural and aesthetic attitudes as an artist in the 1950's and 60's. However, over the past 30 years his influences have changed, giving him a greater awareness, understanding and appreciation of 40,000 years of indigenous culture. Dyer will discuss the impact this multiculturalism has had on Australian attitudes and culture and more specifically, the impact these issues have had on the thinking and visual imagery of his work in batik. Bali Batiks: Tales of Hoffman, Hindu Princesses, and Surfers Sometime in the late 1970's to mid-80's, entrepreneurial surfer/travelers from the West and enterprising Javanese tukang cap, stamped batik artisans, converged on the Indonesian island of Bali and began to collaborate. The batik fabric that emerged from the open-air workshops that sprang up in the kampungs villages of Denpasar is known as Bali batik, or as "Bali's" to the quilters who have since made them so popular. Early in the 1990's, several small companies began to use the talents of both Balinese and Euro-American designers to work with the Javanese dyers and cap or copper stamp makers to refine the layering of stamped patterns and background colors, thereby creating some very innovative and complex effects. As the home-sewing market morphed into the craft and quilt market, retail fabric stores began responding to this batik fabric, offered most conspicuously by Bali Fabrications (Princess Mirah) and Hoffman of California (the surfers). Bali batik is now a staple fabric in the hundreds of retail quilting stores that have opened to meet the needs of both hobbyist and 'art quilt' makers. The People Behind the Cloth Javanese batik is a reflection of 600 hundred years of tradition and provides a cultural identity for the islands of Indonesia as well as employment for millions of people. These workers are the designers, dyers, waxers, cap (tjap) makers and processors of thousands of meters of cloth daily. But many, if not most of these anonymous 'people behind the cloth' are poor and their stories have gone untold. This lecture will focus on a few of their tales, such as Soedjamardi, who waxes cloth at home for a Solo company while her husband produces copper stamps and her daughter ferries the finished cloth to the market. Here are images of people, cloth production and weddings wrapped in batik that offer insights into the strong cultural content and heritage of Indonesian batik. Collaboration--The Visual Band From the origins in 1985 of their batik studio, Brahma Tirta Sari in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Nia and Ismoyo have worked in a collaborative creative process. Their personal collaborations have broadened to include working with Australian Aboriginal batik artists, batik students from rural Java as well as artists from Asia. This lecture will consider such questions as: What is collaboration? Why is it of interest to artists? When is a piece of work justifiably individual? What are the boundaries between 'helper' and 'collaborator', between 'designer' and 'artist'? What are the advantages/disadvantages of working collaboratively? How do we deal with feelings of 'ownership' and art? What is the essence of the collaborative process? References will include the traditional creative process in Indonesian batik, creativity in Javanese culture, the 'empu' as seen in the Javanese master as well as the sense of interconnectedness - the 'visual band' - that collaboration encourages in art. Rozome and the West: A Cultural Translation Barrier Japan's tradition of wax-resist dyeing (rozome) carries a rich and venerable textile history. In this context, modern rozome artists have thrived. However, despite a recent upsurge in international exposure for Japanese artists as a whole, rozome artists have remained virtually unknown beyond their homeland. What has caused this anomaly? Examining the peculiarities of Japan's dye culture, modeling aesthetics, and perceived cultural translation barriers between East and West, this talk will focus on language, rozome and the broader field of fiber art to seek a way forward to a new global standard for textile art. Indigenous Batik From Australia An informed perspective on indigenous art and batik will be presented, giving insight into the artists for whom ancient spiritual connections to country has led to one of the most dynamic art movements in recent history. Art critic and writer Robert Hughes has described contemporary Australian Aboriginal art as "The world's last great art movement." Reference to the recent 'renaissance' from the 1970's at Papunya to contemporary times will be explored, with special emphasis on the batik producing communities of Ernabella and Utopia. An understanding of the environment, 'jukurrpa,' the law of the dreaming in the creation of artworks will be included. Batik on Wood: New Developments From Yogyakarta Batik is most well known as a wax resist process on cloth, although leather, paper and even eggs are sometimes used as a base material. However, about 20 years ago batik on wood started to appear in the markets of Yogyakarta, the batik capital of Indonesia. This innovative direction has gradually matured into a new major craft that is helping to revitalize a diminishing batik market. As a batik painter living in Yogyakarta since 1992, Kaun has watched the growth of this new craft with interest. From rather rough beginnings, it has matured into the production of highly refined, beautifully functional handicrafts. This presentation will include the history, process, and some of the newest finished products available in this new medium, including fine art wood batik paintings. Batik in the Classroom: How to Survive 35 Nine-Year Olds With 33 years of teaching experience, including 17 years in a British preparatory school, batik artist Rosi Robinson will share her enthusiasm for teaching adults and children in multiple educational settings. History, language, mathematics, design and science are all part of learning batik in the cross-discipline classroom. When teaching 35 nine-year old students special problems arise, tips and short cuts are needed and health and safety issues are crucial. Robinson will share how she works to provide an environment where student ideas can flourish and feelings can be expressed. She feels strongly that batik is the perfect medium for this. Marketing and Self Promotion There are many reasons why artists shy away from promoting their own work: cultural conditioning, lack of knowledge, lack of skills, and lack of planning. With a little information, a bit of perseverance, a small change in outlook and some preparatory work, you can successfully promote yourself and your artwork. This lecture will discuss press releases, artist statements, and the need for good visuals. It will help you state your goals and identify your audience and appropriate venues for showing your art. Opportunities for self-promotion and getting your art work out there are available. Udell's enthusiasm, vast knowledge and printed materials will help get your stories told. Commission Work: Working with Interior Designers and Architects How to gain exposure for your work and sell it is of prime concern for all artists. This lecture will focus on the market for commission work, including self-designed projects, 'Percent for the Arts' competitions, as well as how to navigate commission work with interior designers and architects. The basics of identifying sources of support, writing proposals, designing a budget and requesting funding will be covered. Large Scale Public Art For the last thirty years, Mary Edna Fraser's large-scale batiks have focused on aerial landscapes from her own flight photographs, as well as nautical charts and satellite imagery. She has received over 115 large-scale commissions, which have placed her sculptural batik imagery in international airports, banks, hospitals and even embassies. This has given her first-hand experience in dealing with the issues surrounding the creation of batik for installation and commissions. Studio Design for the Batik Artist This presentation will consider the important requirements and options available to the batik artist when setting up a permanent studio space. Recommendations for ventilation, lighting, worktables, storage of dyes, cloth, brushes, flammable materials, safety and fire prevention in the studio will all be covered. Of primary interest to batik artists will be information on an inexpensive, permanently installed exhaust system that was developed for a remodeled garage space. Details of this design and guidelines for installation will be available to participants. Alternative methods for ventilating temporary studio space, the use of masks and commercial air cleaners will also be included. Soy Wax - An Alternative Resist Medium in Batik For centuries, artists working in batik have used beeswax, resins or petroleum products such as paraffin or microcrystaline wax. They have functioned well and have proven to be strong resists, however the intrinsic problems of irritating wax fumes from overheating and the difficulties in removing the resist from the cloth have encouraged batik artists to look for other wax sources. Paraffin mixtures applied to cotton can be removed by boiling. However, removal from silk has required a solvent or dry cleaning; specifically the use of Perchloroethylene, a toxic chemical that has been heavily regulated by the EPA in the USA. Bowen has worked with soy wax, a non-toxic alternative resist on silk, since 2002. While soy wax shows promise as an alternative resist, it has a number of limitations. The research presented in this session will explore ways that artists can use soy wax for its unique qualities. |