International Batik Week in Pekalongan

Thursday, 09 April, 2009 | 15:59 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Pekalongan:The Pekalongan municipality plans to hold the International Batik Week on April 20 to May 3, 2009 to introduce locally-mdae batik to the world. “We will feature seven activities relating to batik,” said Doyo Budi Wibowo, Pekalongan Tourism and Culture Office chief in charge of tourism, yesterday.

According to Doyo, the exhibition will follows the first event in 2007. This year, the committee will present a culinary feast, fashion on the road, batik carnival, a seminar and dialog, cultural and traditional performances, batik design and painting competition, batik-making demonstration, and how to use the canting (small dipper used to apply wax in batik process).

Five countries, 18 provinces, 30 regencies/municipalities, three departments, one ministry, as well as local and international batik lovers and collectors will take part in this event. Four artists will also be performing in the exhibition. “Besides enjoying the art of batik, visitors can also see batik demonstrations and how to use canting as the main tool to paint with fabrics,” Budi said.

The batik exhibition is supported by state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI), which has prepared a tourism train to facilitate visitors from outside Pekalongan. Selamet Prihantono, Pekalongan Trade Industry, Cooperative, and Small to Medium Scale Businesses Office chief, said the Pekalongan municipality hoped the event can increase the income of batik makers and artists in Pekalongan. “The event can also generate interest for the international batik business,” he said.

Selamet added that the exhibition will feature a number of batik producing countries in Southeast Asia where they will introduce their own batik pattern and specialities. He hoped the exhibition can bring out creativity and interaction among local batik artists, who have only been marketing their products in their respective countries.

EDI FAISOL