B ATIK OF J AVA : PO E TICS AND POLITICS CALOUNDRA R E GIONAL ART GALL E R Y TOURING E XHI B ITION – TAASA Review June 2010

Maria Wronska-Friend T he batik fabrics of Java represent the peak of achievement in the art of waxresist dyeing and belong to the greatest textile traditions of Asia.

The significance of these textiles was recognised by UNESCO in October 2009 when Javanese batik was the first group of Asian textiles to be inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

To celebrate this event, the Caloundra Regional Art Gallery on the Sunshine Coast decided to organise an exhibition Batik of Java: Poetics and Politics which presents two Queensland collections of Indonesian textiles and paintings: batik textiles from the north coast of Java and a series of recent paintings by the Indonesian artist Dadang Christanto entitled Batik has been Burnt. Skirt cloth kain panjang, Cirebon, 1940 ­ 1950s, hand-drawn design (batik tulis), cotton, synthetic dyes. Greg Roberts & Ian Reed Collection Skirt cloth kain panjang, Lasem, early 20th century, hand-drawn design (batik tulis), cotton, natural dyes. Greg Roberts & Ian Reed Collection The first collection, available to the general public due to the generosity of its owners, two Sunshine Coast collectors and art connoisseurs – Greg Roberts and Ian Reed, presents more than 20 outstanding batiks illustrating the diversity of cultural and artistic traditions of the north coast of Java, an area known as Pasisir...