In the 2nd phase of Curating Batik, supported by ASEF Creative Networks, two batik experts are taking up residencies at Weltmuseum Wien (Austria) and Museum der Kulturen Basel (Switzerland) from 31 August – 20 September 2015.
Benny Gratha (Museum Tekstil Jakarta), Dr. Kwan Hwie Liong (independent curator) and Dr. Jani Kuhnt-Saptodewo have been recently researching textile collection at Weltmuseum Wien, with particular focus on batik. Weltmuseum Wien is home to an extraordinary collection of Asian textiles from the 19th to the early 20th century, which includes fascinating Indonesian batik samples. Due to the lack of knowledge about their origins, production and colouring, many of them have never been exhibited.
It is this gap that the Curating Batik initiative is addressing. Curating Batik involves the study of batik collections in selected museums in Asia and Europe, towards the setup of a permanent gallery at the Weltmuseum in Vienna which is currently undergoing extensive renovation and will reopen in 2017.
In addition, the two Indonesian experts will also spend a week in Basel. With Dr Richard KUNZ, they will examine spectacular and peculiar batik textiles in the collection of Museum der Kulturen Basel.
The two experts presented the results of the research and gave public lectures on 9 September 2015 at Weltmuseum Vienna and will do so on 17 September 2015 at Museum der Kulturen Basel.
Curating Batik is a collaborative project of the Asia-Europe Museum Network (ASEMUS). It is supported by Asia-Europe Foundation through its ASEF Creative Network initiative.
The first phase of Curating Batik took place in Indonesia in June 2015.