Info Indonesia

Most people have heard of Batik but many are not really aware of the process of batik or the history behind the origins of batik. Batik is an ancient craft dating back centuries and relates to hand drawing or hand painting involving wax. Wax-resist dyeing is the definition of the art of historical batik.

Wax is painted on to the fabric and the color is filled into the fabric between the wax. The instrument stated as used for this particular art form in Javanese cultures was called a canting. This is an item in design similar to a pen that was used to apply the design with the wax directly to the cloth. The wax is placed to stop the color running through to the next color of the design.

The wax is then later washed from the cloth leaving only the color hence the white lines you will always see on batik. There are then of course a variety of designs that are sold as batik but are actually made using more traditional methods and while the look may be similar they are not in fact original or true batik.

Batik is considered a traditional art in many Asian countries. In Javanese the definition of the word Batik is writing with wax. In Indonesia for example there are traditional batik colors mostly darker shades of indigo, dark brown, white and violet, which are used in representation of four main Hindu Gods. Other countries in Asia, as stated, are also traditionally using batik techniques, such as India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma etc. There are also some West African countries such as Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda among others which also use batik all of which will be in varying degrees of the same original historical form of batik.

1500 years ago you could also find the wax style batik cloth in Egypt and the Middle East. Today you will find that Batik is a more commercial form of artwork often on sale in tourism rich countries for purchase by travelers. Almost all Asian countries will be offering up modern and traditional designs of batik and you will be amazed at what there is available however whether they are creating original historical forms of batik or not can only be known by requesting to visit with the artist while they are in fact creating. Of course if they are carrying out the traditional form of batik you, having been made more aware of what the art actually is, will be able to immediately tell for yourself if they are original batik designs or just a very good impression of this ancient art form.

Many Javanese temples also have beautiful stone statues sculptured on their walls however confirmed historical proof of these designs being batik is as yet to be determined. They could in fact have been created using a weaving technique rather than the traditional batik. No doubt in the future there will be proof of these facts and it will be clear which traditional and historical art form was used in the creation of these amazing designs.

It is also said that there were specific Batik designs that were created for Javanese royalty and these particular patterns can only be worn by royalty whilst other regions in Indonesia offer their own patterns unique to their region. There are others however who deny that batik was meant for royalty alone and that it was a form of art created for all people.

Thanks to modernization you are easily able to purchase batik. Whether it is traditional or not you now have the tools to check for yourself. If the artist is not willing to show you how they are creating the designs then it is in all likelihood that they are using a modernized form of batik and therefore while still beautiful you will not be purchasing a traditional batik. Therefore just because the cost of a particular batik is perhaps more than another it does not also mean that it is original.

Ask the artist to show you their work space and see for yourself whether you are getting the real thing. If you find you are not do not despair you will come away with a wonderful piece of art work either way to add style and flair to your home just don’t go passing it off as an original batik!

Batik as traditional culture from Indonesia, begin to be empowered by Government. The starting policies, because of young generations are not interested in continuing to design batik.
Indonesia archipelagos have different culture and language, so batik design performances are the same as culture of people.
Sidoarjo and Surabaya are starting point to create Village center or Kampoeng batik in Indonesia. Philosophy of creating Kampong batik in order to invite many visitors and foreigners come and find batik home industry easily. You can find women and men to assemble to design batik, using canting, showroom to show varieties of batik to sell and batik processing. It is very interesting to see. The most interest one, Sidoarjo as industry town in east java Indonesia that has serious problem to handle social struggling, because of volcano mud, become pioneer of Kampoeng batik.
Once upon time, the story began when the son of kingdom, anonymous as Mulyadi came to Jetis village. Jetis village as center of government, was so near mosque, called Al Albror in 1675.
Mulyadi as a new visitor try to take sympathy from Pekauman villager. He taught about religion, how to design batik and how to be entrepreneur.
Jetis village that had been varieties ethnic, as madurese, Javanese and others ethnic would have problems, if the people had not tolerance.

The Madurese are popular with strong behave and strong entrepreneurship, diligent, consistent and never give up, success as entrepreneur and getting rich.
To create tolerance between many ethnic at Jetis village, Mulyadi gave training to local people in order to serve Madurace as customers. So design Jetis batik was influenced by Madurese orders and philosophy. Birds, spinach, flowers and spread rice always becomes symbol design in Jetis batik. Birds reflect of free animal. They can fly whenever they wish, work hard, never give up and can live every where. Spinach and flowers reflect that Madurase always sell vegetables in the market and have strong entrepreneurship. Spread rice reflects prosperous.
Sidoarjo is popular with motto, Sidoarjo resurgence to bright future, start to motivate their people to work hard again and never give up.
To motivate batik entrepreneurs, government try to give stimulant through capital, much information how to market products, beside batik entrepreneurs try to redesign batik to be popular between young generation. So young generations, like to wear batik in their daily activities.
According Tan Han Foen, popular designer from Surabaya said that young generations can create new design that suitable with their character.
There are few suggestions how to keep batik in order to look good, according Tan Han Foen,

1.Keep your batik, suitable with batik varieties, because batik is created from varieties tips, silk and cloth,

2.Especially silk batik, you can do dry clean when washing them. For batik that using cloth material, you can wash by washing machine.

3.To avoid faded color, do not wash batik frequently.