Past is Present: Contemporary Indonesian Batik and Beyond
Most textile collectors and scholars are well versed in the historical heritage of Indonesian batik arts. This talk aims to illuminate the more recent transitions of some batik artists who have finally been welcomed into the realm of contemporary fine arts whilst honoring their ancestral roots. These textile artists have been gaining international recognition as they enrich our notions about art after blurring the boundaries between craft, design, and art.
Dr. Mary-Louise Totton is Associate Professor and area coordinator of art history in the Frostic School of Arts at Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo MI USA). Her research interests encompass Javanese antiquities, textile arts of Asia Pacific, contemporary Asian arts, contemporary art markets, as well as the historical collection, exhibition, adaptation and / or assimilation of global objects.