Batiks of Indonesia: Java and beyond at The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions EditorVisit now
Batiks of Indonesia: Java and beyond
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The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery showcases the beauty of Indonesian batik with a new exhibition Batiks of Indonesia: Java and beyond.
Batik is a method of decorating fabric using wax resist and there are a myriad of ways of using the technique in many parts of Europe and Africa. However, it’s on the Indonesian island of Java that batik has reached new levels – it’s even been featured on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Batiks of Indonesia: Java and beyond features Indonesian pieces from the Coleman Collection, celebrating the cataloguing and digitisation of over 250 fabrics. As well as intricate patterns, the exhibition delves into the history of batik production, historical influences that have shaped it along the way and the variety of regional styles. Co-curator Der Bintan Titisari says “I hope it inspires new conversations around heritage, cultural sustainability, and innovation.”
The Coleman collection which the batiks are part of comes from Hywel Coleman, Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the School of Education and a Life Fellow of the University of Leeds. He first visited Indonesia in the early 70s and quickly began collecting local textiles. Now an Indonesian citizen, he has donated his fabric collection to the University of Leeds in 2022.
As well as seeing the beautifully decorated fabrics, you can learn more about the historical context and see the technique in use via instructional videos.
