What is it about?
This study explores Indonesian batik, a traditional textile art rich in cultural meaning and recognized by UNESCO. Batik patterns reflect history, beliefs, and identity, but today many are simplified and used commercially without understanding their meaning, putting this heritage at risk. To address this, the project studies how batik is made and what its symbols represent, based on fieldwork in a batik workshop in Yogyakarta. It then experiments with new materials and simpler designs to reinterpret traditional patterns in contemporary ways. These include window installations and a book that explain batik’s history and symbolism. The aim is to keep batik relevant today while preserving its cultural value, encouraging dialogue and helping future generations continue this important tradition.
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Photo by Camille Bismonte on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Combines design practice and ethnographic insight to reinterpret batik while preserving its meaning. At a time when commercialization risks erasing cultural identity, it offers a timely approach that bridges tradition and contemporary design, engaging broader audiences and encouraging designers to sustain heritage through innovative practice.
Perspectives
I approach batik as both a cultural inheritance and a design inquiry. My experience learning directly from artisans shaped how I see its depth beyond aesthetics. Through experimenting with new forms and media, I reflect on how tradition can evolve without losing meaning, while inviting dialogue about identity, continuity, and the role of designers in sustaining cultural heritage.
Dr Juhri Selamet
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Indonesian Batik Translation: A Case Study, The International Journal of Visual Design, January 2018, Common Ground Publishing,
DOI: 10.18848/2325-1581/cgp/v12i03/11-17.
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