A comprehensive and richly illustrated survey of batik, a glorious textile art and popular Indonesian cloth.

Every aspect of batik is rich in symbolism: its colors, motifs, and designs, as well as the way it is made, folded, and worn. Formerly a family and tribal signifier, and then a symbol of Indonesian independence and identity, it is now a fabric in demand all over the world. Fiona Kerlogue explores the origins of batik in the Indonesian archipelago; the materials and methods of production; regional traditions and differences; motifs and symbolism, including Malay, Chinese, and Islamic meanings; modern influences, such as industrialization, war, and independence; batik as traditional and modern costume; and batik as an art form.

An illustrated index of motifs and their meanings, glossary, bibliography, and international listing of batik collections complete this authoritative yet accessible work. 205 illustrations, 168 in color. Read more »

These stunning displays of highly stylized, often dramatic designs depict florals, geometrics, winged creatures, and other fanciful images. Ideal for immediate practical use, the handy archive will supply artists and crafters with an unusual range of designs and serve as a delightful browsing book for enthusiasts of Asian art and culture. 225 designs.

Indonesian Batik Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

Batik occupies a special position in Indonesia’s history and culture. The extraordinary photographs of cloths and prints in this book demonstrate why batik is the stuff of textile legend. These 71 batik designs, taken from the collection of famed dealer Rudolf G. Smend, date from 1880-1930, a time still considered batik’s golden age. Complementing these extraordinary cloths are 16 vintage photo prints from the Leo Haks collection, which demonstrate how batik was worn at court and in other settings.

The exotic textiles of Java have intrigued the outside world for the past 150 years. Batik, the legendary fiber art of painting and dyeing fabrics using a waxing process, has been influenced by cultures as diverse as the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, and English. Read more »

The exotic textiles of Java have intrigued the outside world for the past 150 years. Batik, the legendary fiber art of painting and dyeing fabrics using a waxing process, has been influenced by cultures as diverse as the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, and English. Like no other book before it, Batik takes the reader on a spellbinding tour of Java, revealing batik’s history, motifs, and methods of production.

About the Author
Inger McCabe Elliott, founder and president of China Seas, Inc., the award-winning fabric design firm, was born in Norway, graduated from Cornell University, and received her M.A. in history from Radcliffe College. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia as a photojournalist for publications including Newsweek and The New York Times. She lives in New York City and Stonington, Connecticut, with her husband and children.
Batik: Fabled Cloth of Java

Art as Politics explores the intersection of art, identity politics, and tourism in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Based on long-term ethnographic research from the 1980s to the present, the book offers a nuanced portrayal of the Sa’dan Toraja, a predominantly Christian minority group in the world’s most populous Muslim country. Celebrated in anthropological and tourism literatures for their spectacular traditional houses, sculpted effigies of the dead, and pageantry-filled funeral rituals, the Toraja have entered an era of accelerated engagement with the global economy marked by on-going struggles over identity, religion, and social relations.

In her engaging account, Kathleen Adams chronicles how various Toraja individuals and groups have drawn upon artistically-embellished “traditional” objects–as well as monumental displays, museums, UNESCO ideas about “word heritage,” and the World Wide Web–to shore up or realign aspects of a cultural heritage perceived to be under threat. She also considers how outsiders–be they tourists, art collectors, members of rival ethnic groups, or government officials–have appropriated and reframed Toraja art objects for their own purposes. Her account illustrates how art can serve as a catalyst in identity politics, especially in the context of tourism and social upheaval. Read more »