Batik Nyonyas Talks

Batik and Community: Spiritual Resilience and the Artistry of Pesisir Batik

This lecture is free.
Registration (with a $10 refundable deposit) is required.
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The pesisir (north coast of Java) was a key batik-producing region in the 19th century, known for its multiculturalism and hybrid designs. However, under Dutch colonial rule, ethnic communities were segregated, and workshop owners exerted varying degrees of control over batik artists, impacting their artistic output.

This talk explores the changing relationship between batik artistry and community in the 21st century. It examines the connection between batik making and spirituality in Muslim pesisir culture, and the role batik plays in fostering communal happiness and resilience. Interviews conducted with batik makers reveal multi-directional influences: creating batik gives them the emotional and spiritual resilience to endure hardships, which in turn engenders greater artistry in their work.

Speaker

Muchammadun is Associate Professor of Community Development Studies at the Department of Islamic Community Development, Mataram State Islamic University. He holds postgraduate degrees from VHL Scholen, Wageningen University, Australian National University, and Yogyakarta State Islamic University. His research focuses on community education, resilience, and the role of education in social transformation.

Moderator

Peter Lee is the author of Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion in an Interconnected World, 1500–1950 and co-author of Port Cities: Multicultural Emporiums of Asia, 1500–1900, both published by ACM. He is the Founding Curator of NUS Baba House and host of The Mark of Empire on CNA.


_{Image: Nyonya Oeij Soen King. Kain Panjang, 1890-1925. Cotton (drawn batik). Gift of Ika, Melia, and Inge Hendromartono, 2017-00338}


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