BATIK, The Art of Painting
Category : Art & Culture

UNESCO inscribed Indonesian Batik on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 2 October 2009.  The 24 member States of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage, held its 4th session in Abu Dhabi under the chairmanship of Awadh Ali Saleh Al Musabi (United Arab Emirates).  It was this council that inscribed the announcement. 



Batik is both an art and a craft, which is becoming more popular and well known in the west as a wonderfully creative medium. The art of decorating cloth in this way, using wax and dye, is an ancient tradition which has been practised for centuries in Java  and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is produced here. 



The word 'Batik' originates from the Javanese tik and means 'to dot'. To make batik, selected areas of the cloth are blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them, and the cloth is then dyed. The parts covered in wax resist the dye and remain the original colour. This process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated to create more elaborate and colourful designs. After the final dyeing the wax is removed and the cloth is ready for wearing or showing. 



Batik is a very popular tourist souvenir in Yogyakarta and its motifs are full of the meaning and philosophy of life.  In the past, these decorations were only used by the Royal family and the people who have a certain social status. In the city of Yogyakarta, there are several areas well known for the batik industry such as Tirtodipuran, Prawirotaman and Panembahan.  There are several motifs of Yogyakarta batik such Batik Tambal, Batik Parang Rusak, Batik Udan Liris, Batik Cemplok Kesantrian, and Batik Sido Mukti.



There are several steps to make batik. Firstly, melted wax is applied to the cloth, then dipped in dye.  Canting is the tool used for applying hot wax by hand and this process is used to make individual designs and patterns. The Canting is made of two elements: a copper bowl with a spout, and a bamboo holder into which the copper part is inserted. Canting with fine spouts are used for the most delicate lines, while a wide spout allows the wax to flow quickly over background areas. Rosettes of five or seven dots are made with a canting which has multiple spouts.

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