The existence of batik in the fashion industry of Indonesia is nothing new. A while back, after batik was finally internationally acknowledged as the cultural heritage of Indonesia, a number of designers are back in action, exploring the richness of these national cloths which are spread out in many regions. The progress of batik continues. Its many design and motives are being presented in various national and international fashion events. The batik artists are also gaining wider opportunity in displaying their masterworks.
To date in Indonesia, batik is known to mostly come from areas in Java, such as Jogja, Solo, Pekalongan, Pacitan, Cirebon and others. The art of batik which started from hand-drawn batik was born in the aristocrat era. The motives of traditional hand-drawn batik then reflect in the pattern that identifies the origin of the batik. Meanwhile, nowadays, in the midst of various fashion creativities, all kinds of batik receive their own place in the fashion lovers heart and even markets.
Traditional batik has undergone many modifications or creation progress in its motives and color. Without leaving the artistic value, batik is now present to fulfill the demands of the people in their effort of preserving and inheriting it. With more colorful tones, various motives and informality, modern batik or also called contemporary batik, is now beginning to capture the heart of fashion lovers. One of the artists is Tetet Cahyati, a Bandung origin artist that is quite known through her various works such as paintings, poetries, short stories, to novels.
This daughter of the late famous painter Popo Iskandar has been involved in art since her early age. Born in an art loving environment, Tetet blossomed into a person with such a natural gift of art. Beginning her artistic activities through the media of poetry, Tetet has her own way with lyrics. After expending her talent in literacy, Tetet then moved on to the world of painting. The masterworks of this mother of three children identify the expression of feelings and emotions she went through. Then in the year of 2007, she entered the textile arena by creating batik cloths with motives inspired by her paintings and poetries.
“To have been brought up in an art loving family gave me a sense of closeness to various arts. Moving from there, I want very much to preserve the arts and cultures of Indonesia, moreover when thinking that there so many cultural heritage, especially in the art area, which are very interesting to cover,” explained this woman that enjoys painting in abstract style.
As an artist who has given birth to many artworks that boost up her name, Tetet never ceased in exploring her artistic capacity. There is always something new that gets her spirit up, moreover when the matter concerns art. It is from there that she started thinking about producing batik motives.
“I was interested in making batik after realizing that batik is one of the cultural heritages that has to be preserved its existence. Aside from that I also learned that there was yet Bandung batik, so I came up with the idea of creating a Bandung batik that identifies the modern, dynamic, active and productive atmosphere of Bandung city,” this lady who was is the list of the 2009’s 100 Most Inspirational Woman of Indonesia clarified.
Tetet’s batik design which is titled Bandung Abstract Batik put forth distinguished batik motives by displaying abstract forms such as her own paintings and a colorful tone play which differentiate it from traditional batiks. Tetet’s abstract batik even has its own uniqueness for many of her batik works were made based on her previously mastered paintings and poetries. This seems to showcase her love and expertise in the art area. As one of her masterpieces which has a same theme with one of her paintings that is “Batik Cahaya Jiwa”, laid out in silk.
“There are plenty of interesting things that I learned from the process of batik producing, such as making the patterns, hand-drawing it on the cloth with a traditional hot-pen (Canting), all through the coloring process which can sometimes go off-course but invent something beautiful. Every month there are about 50-100 batik prints that are produced in this studio of mine,” clarified this lecturer of one of the university in Bandung.
The creative process of Bandung Abstract Batik that Tetet performs is usually done by transforming her works of painting or poetry. This owner of the Community Activity Centre over at the Tirtasari Art Studio also implements a social mission by giving handiwork tutoring to the community, one of which is the production of Bandung Abstract Batik.
“I want art to be enjoyed by a more broader society, through this studio that was established in 1998. I invite the people to join and from here they can make a living. When buying Bandung Abstract Batik, that means you have helped them. Also, I also wish to grow the people’s compassion towards our own works,” this planner of European batik exhibition elaborates.
This artist who is also an activist in education has earned her doctorate in economy. Tetet perceives the economy skill which she applies through the marketing domain as very supportive towards her on-going art activities. “I feel that are should be touched by economy to make it through to the society. When there are not marketing, how can the works of an artist be appropriately appreciated,” claims this lady who is planning on launching a book on Art Marketing.
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