Artists Nia Fliam and Agus Ismoyo are primarily interested in Indonesian batik (wax-resist patterned cloth). Seen on countless beach wraps and home-décor items today, batik was perfected in the courts of Java, where certain motifs were considered powerful in both political and spiritual terms. In 2009, UNESCO added batik to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Today, commercial batik production is mechanized, leaving it to artists such as the Ismoyos to perpetuate the spirit of this centuries-old art. As demonstrated in the seven complex, colorful silk hangings on view in “Out of Southeast Asia,” Fliam and Ismoyo employ batik’s motifs and techniques in entirely new ways.

Their effort to bring traditional imagery into the 21st century also extends past Indonesia—the artists frequently speak of an interest in finding “the DNA of our world culture” through exploring commonalities between ancient art forms. Following this interest, the artists have partnered with indigenous communities around the world, and the exhibition includes a collaboration with aboriginal Australian artists. “Out of Southeast Asia: Art that Sustains” also includes the sculpture “Tree of Life VIII (Pohon Hayati VIII),” a 3D tribute to a design used by cultures around the world.

Vernal Bogren Swift

“Out of Southeast Asia: Art that Sustains” is the Washington, D.C. debut for Vernal Bogren Swift. The finest Indonesian batiks employ patterns—both bold and minute—across the entire surface. Swift integrates this aesthetic into her storybook-like illustrations of myths, legends and old wives tales—drawn from her extensive travels and the strong oral history tradition present on Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada),  where she currently lives.

Originally from Kansas, Swift taught herself batik more than 40 years ago. Intrigued by the medium’s emphasis on small patterns, Swift travelled to Indonesia to learn traditional batik. Recently, she has developed means to use more natural dyes (such as pomegranate) in her practice. The works on view in “Out of Southeast Asia” are typical of Swift’s style, which pushes batik patterning into new applications. The three large triptychs on view take up magical subjects: “Early Lessons and Lies,” “A Garden of Earthquakes” and “Moons under Sea.”

About the Exhibition

“Out of Southeast Asia: Art that Sustains” is curated by Dr. Mattiebelle Gittinger, one of the foremost researchers and scholars in the field of Southeast Asian textiles. Gittinger received her PhD from Columbia University in 1972. Since the 1970s, she has conducted extensive fieldwork across Southeast Asia, India, Myanmar (Burma), Europe and the Middle East. During her 38 years at The Textile Museum, Gittinger has organized several important exhibitions, each accompanied by a highly-regarded catalog. “Out of Southeast Asia: Art that Sustains” is made possible in part through grants from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council.

The Textile Museum