Batik expert to demonstrate his art

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33786, 7 March 1975, Page 12

Batik expert to demonstrate his art

Followers of the art of batik, the technique of waxing and dyeing materials, will have the chance to see it done next week by an expert.

The expert, Mr Bambang Oetoro, a native of Indonesia, j is a lecturer in the art of batik at the Academy of Arts. Jogjakarta. He is also chief designer at the Government batik research centre. He will demonstrate his an at the Canterbury Society of! 'Arts gallery, w'here observers w ill have .the chance to try [their hand at the craft in a [backroom ’ workshop. Mr Oetoro’s demonstration will' last tw'o hours and will run for four days, beginning; tomorrow. The ancient craft had notl altered much in the 14 centuries of its existence, Mr Oetoro said in Christchurch! yesterday. Only rhe designs; [had changed. They had: I become contemporary. i The process began with' j white material — cotton,; [synthetic, or silk. A design [was then worked into the! material by painting m wax,) with a pen-iike instrument; called a chanting, all those; areas which were to remain; •undyed. Depending on the expertise iof the craftsman, the designs . could be simple or intricate, the whole process taking minutes or months. After the first waxing, the cloth was

then dipped into chemical dye. the colour of the artist’s choice. All traces of the wax were then removed by placing the cloth in boiling water, and the process began again. The batik artist could ! superimpose colours one upon I the other endlessly, or carefully dovetail colours so that the entire cloth was covered with no mote than one coat of dyes. The same painstaking effort applied to one side of the material was also applied to the other, to give it its transparent effect. The wax design from one side did not soak “hroigh to the other i but had to be carefully picked ;out to millimetre exactness on the underside. Batik was not too expensive to become a popular hobby of ordinary peon’e Mr [Oetoro said. The cost lay in [the wax and chemical dyes. • Wax once used could not [effectively be reused, even a second time, as its quality deteriorated quickly. Dyes also needed to tie of good quality. Batik was now popular in Western countries because if was still something, of a novelty, and because the novice could produce something cteoitable in a Short time. As well as demonstrating his craft, Mr Oetoro will sell some of his “paintings,” as he calls his batik work. His prices will range from $5O, the average price being 'iie-third cheaper than he ■lts in the United States. 'People in New Zealand appreciate my worn. Where 1 know people appreciate what I do, I like to lower my price,” he said. ~