FOR the past five years, local batik maker Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim is so far the only one in Brunei to venture into digital batik making where unlike traditional batik making, digital batik does not require hand-drawing or the molten wax process.
Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim admits that there has been some debate on the authenticity of digital batik as it is not hand-drawn the traditional way.
"There is a movement away from traditional batik to digital batik, but some people debate about the orgininality of a digitally-made batik as the patterns are made through the computer, which is considered a machine," said Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim.
Overriding such arguments, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim believes the step towards digital batik is just a revolutionary development of batik since its existence hundreds of years ago in Asia. Digital batik making has allowed Zainal's local batik business, Batik Desa Mas, to expand by being innovative using digital designs. Batik Desa Mas was formed in 2000, 12 years ago.
The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/features/2012/05/13/batik-maker-jumps-digital-age
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim A Pioneering Digital Batik Artisan
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| Local batik maker Zainal Abidin checking his batik designs |
"What was holding back my batik business in the past was the need for batik pattern artists and the ingredients needed to produce the patterns such as candle wax and material. With digital batik I do not need any of these," said Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim.
Zainal assures that digital batik making is the same as the traditional batik-making process where the only difference is the design of patterns via digital technology.
"Once the patterns get printed off, we still need to use the fixing of colours onto the material through a steaming process to ensure the patterns and colour will stay. It is a more commercial and technological process than the traditional one," said Zainal.
At 61 years old Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim is able to master software such as Photoshop Illustrator to come up with his digital batik designs. Zainal comes up with his own designs while he prints and produces them outside of Brunei.
"I can say digital batik has allowed me to bypass the traditional needs of batik making process. It ensured the survival of my batik business," said Zainal.
During the 12-year period in batik business Zainal has learnt that batik designs evolves according to the country where batik thrives. Zainal believes and encourages Bruneians to come up with its own unique batik designs that can be developed through instilling local motives and identities. His batik business has been aspiring to do so.
"Batik is not part of the local tradition but we can come up with our own batik designs with our own identity and values. This is what I am trying to do, offering made-in-Brunei batik," said Zainal.
Zainal realises that it is obvious Brunei would not be able to develop batik at a level which transpires into its culture and tradition such as in Indonesia where batik patterns have been noted to exist since the 12th century or even earlier depending on different sources.
"Indonesia has made batik as part of its tradition. Different patterns are given different names. They have a stock file of their own original designs. Batik is part of the Indonesian tradition which would be very hard to fade," said Zainal.
In 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".
Zainal underlined the birth of Malaysian batik in the seventies when it was introduced as a form of art in educational institutions like the then Institute Technology Malaysia (ITM) or presently known as MARA University of Technology(UiTM).
It has been contested whether the origins of batik in Malaysia were brought and taught by Indonesia. However when it was introduced to such institutions it was emphasised the batik designs was to be developed based on more Malaysian designs to ensure more original patterns.
"Young Malaysians then were vigorous towards the aim of creating their very own batik where they instilled designs from the villages around Malaysia," said Zainal.
In terms of batik, Malaysians were more innovative in trying to create their own designs.
Zainal is confident that Brunei has the traditional designs that can be incorporated into local batik designs especially with more alternatives. The batik-making process now is more accessible to wider groups of people with the presence of digital batik making. Zainal now produces his batik design through four different processes; the melting wax process, the batik stamping process, the batik screen printing process and the batik digital making process.
The Batik Desa Mas boutique can be found at the Sumbangsih Mulia Building along Jalan Beribi.
The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/features/2012/05/13/pioneering-digital-batik-artisan
Thursday, February 23, 2012
BAF's Sunday Seni comes to a close
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| Expatriates and locals alike trying their hand at batik art during Brunei Art Forum's art exhibition at the BSB Waterfront. Picture: BT/Zatty Joanda |
The art exhibition featured a number of art works that were on display ranging from traditional oil and acrylic paintings of the local scenery to abstract and installation art that was set up by the Brunei Art Forum BAF.
The artists have drawn their inspiration from 10 chosen words in accordance with the exhibition's theme.
These words include "tradisi" (tradition), "keamanan" (peace), "alam" (nature), "kesegaran" (vibrant), "dongeng" (tales), "kekayaan" (wealth), "tekstur" (texture), "kedaulatan" (sovereignty), "rakyat" (people) and "kehidupan" (life).
Yesterday's event was dubbed as "Sunday Seni" or loosely translated as "Sunday Art" as not only did visitors of the exhibition had a first-hand try at batik artwork but were also treated to a different kind of art which included poetry-reading and music.
The batik art had an encouraging response from visitors as the batik art classes were held from 10am to 2pm and according to a member of BAF, the visitors still kept on coming to try out the batik art. "We cannot say no to them and we will continue on while our resources are available," said a member who opted for anonymity.
Visitor Lee-Ngee who works for a local private company was at the batik classes accompanying her son, said, "I think it's a really good event. It's definitely a good avenue to promote the talent, their passion and their skills."
Lee-Ngee found out about the event via social site, Twitter and made it a point to pay a visit to the exhibition and stated that she was impressed by the exhibition.
"To actually organise something like this and to promote it to the community is an achievement, something we should applaud the volunteers. I have learned something that I've not known how to do (batik design) before. You get to appreciate the work but more importantly to get to know the young people with so much talent and wanting to show to the community, it is a culture," she said.
The art exhibition also saw a number of expatriates as friends, Wendy Haldane and Sue Longstaff also had a go at the batik art class.
Wendy Haldane said to The Brunei Times, "We've only lived here for a few months. It's clearly a much smaller place than the UK so we have to look a little harder to look for it (art scene). I can see the country wanting to make an effort to have new and, especially, artistic things. I think think there is a long way to go but there are more ideas that can be contributed by us (expatriates) to help the art scene here."
Agreeing to her friend's comment, Sue Longstaff added, "The woven silk (songket) is absolutely beautiful here in Brunei. That can definitely be made into pieces of art. My son came here during christmas and he is currently doing 'A'-Level Art. He took loads of photographs of the water village and he is, at the moment, translating it into his paintings back in Britain. He is inspired by Brunei."
Yesterday was the last weekend for the BAF's art exhibition. According to the exhibition coordinator, Syen Sofian, "The exhibition has been going from the middle of December and for February since it is in conjunction with the National Day, it is called 'Art Warisan, Heritage Seni' under BAF art exhibition."
He added, "We want people to understand that art is not just what we are doing, painting, sculptures, we have opened a pathway for installation art and other mediums. We invited other groups involved in the poetry scene and music scene to participate today, that's why we call it "Sunday Seni". This is a very casual set-up so they can perform their poetry and music."
The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/happenings/2012/02/20/bafs-sunday-seni-comes-close
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