langkawi magazine

Reviews SECTION

Batik at the Millennial Turn

Several criteria can be used to distinguish between the exclusive and the commonplace batik art. It can be the quality of the textile, the craftsmanship, or the artistic appeal of the motif: Is the artistic expression original, or just a copy of something already familiar? A batik piece can be made of an exquisite silk, the decoration can be meticulously finished, but the motif may be conventional. The hand-painted Malaysian batik was a novelty when it was first launched, but some of the floral patterns that gained rapid popularity may now easily be seen as ordinary. Many batik artists on the search for new paths liberate themselves entirely from the traditional repertoire of motifs, while others seek to renew themselves within the tradition.

Two successful representatives of the latter category are Yuzairi, a team of two who work in Kota Bharu, and Atma Alam at Langkawi. Yuzairi work within the young Malaysian hand-painting tradition with motifs from flora and fauna, but they are on the search for new approaches for instance in the choice of colours, or by letting one single flower or leaf fill an entire large textile. This trend also has adherents among less renowned artists. Atma Alam is an arts and crafts centre run by a couple of young artists. The batik sold there is produced locally, handdrawn as well as block printed. It varies from quite experimental pieces to pieces well within tradition, but then often with some surprises, for instance in the choice of colours.

Norway