Prof. J. Tilakasiri

POPULAR ART: Batik has become popular not only as a fashionable and novel mode of dress but carried a strong national identity fulfilling the designing and creative abilities of the local artists who had the inherited skills of their ancestors.

The personal touch of the batik artist and the craftsman combined is considered as the integral factor owing to its entirely hand-made distinctiveness unlike a mass-produced or printed cloth, lackiing in that exclusive quality (of being hand-made personally and individually).

It is possible to assume that decorating materials used in the batik process were known to the makers of handloom products of the earliest periods which had acquired a reputation for the production of fine fabrics with pleasant colour tones and appealing design patterns.

There is hardly any evidence, however, of the existence of a true batik art, as we know today, being known then.

It has now been more reliably argued that the modern batik craft in our country, emerged as a rural art due to foreign influences presumably as a result of Dutch traders and artisans, familiar with the established industry in Java and other islands, owing to the trade and travel connections established between the Dutch and Sri Lankan trading concerns.

During that period the Maritime Provinces of the island (Ceylon then) were occupied by the Dutch.

Ancient craft

It must be admitted that our craftspeople, skilled in cloth painting and especially, banner designing, religious idols and scenes (for temples) and exclusively designed outfits for royalty and high officials, were able to develop colouring and painting techniques independently, using indigenous resources and materials.

It was, indeed, a craft, mastered by our cloth painters and developed under aristocratic patronage, afforded only to the best artistes. It was also a dress which royalty or court chiefs were privileged to wear reflecting their high rank and command.

Although the craft in general was easily practised at the domestic level and the methods employed borrowed from Javanese techniques of batik production, the design and decorative aspects reflect the ingenuity and indigenous creative abilities of the local workers (both male and female).

It is necessary to state that the ancient craft heritage of Sri Lanka possesses a rich endowments of patterns and designs, used not only for cloth but hard materials such as ivory, wood, stone, brass and also silver and gold.

But the batik industry, though rural and domestic, at the commencement, had to fight for survival when textile imports from the west acquired preference and prestige owing to their superior finish and the reduced price range.

Several early artists and entrepreneurs have to be remembered among these who strove hard to revive and popularize batik in our country. Soma Udabage's name cannot be forgotten in the successful attempt she made to study the art in Shantiniketan and Indonesia.

It is she who started to train young women and promote the setting up of centres for the practice and improvement of the required skills.

Sri Lanka could not organize the industry on a large scale and convert into a lucrative enterprise for the local and export markets as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries have done with the limited resources available here.

But the hand-made branding of batik at the rural level in hundreds of small units or work places gave the local product its ethnic significance and value.

Cottage industry

During this period however, in the 1960s, there was a general awakening of interest in the development of cottage industry projects influenced largely by the want of capital and the difficulty of adapting indigenous technology, profitably, and the inability of using rural resources more efficiently.

In this context it is necessary to recall the pioneering work done by the leading exponent of the movement to improve the quality and productivity of basic craft of handloom textile weaving, paper-making and pottery.

Related cottage industries received recognition and a creditable position in the marketing possibilities of fulfilling more functionally the needs of the rural as well as the middle class communities.

The gifted, female leaders, too, supported the movement for developing cottage industries in special locations, where materials and human resources were available. The batik art also received a boost in the growth of the domestic crafts of weaving, embroidery, linen making incorporating traditional designs combined with batik work as the customers choice desired.

Mrs. Ena de Silva showed the way in a sophisticated enterprise, called Aluvihara Tapestries, and succeeded in training village female groups in batik and embroidery work of a high standard for tourists, foreign buyers and hotels.

A significant factor in her projects was the inculcation of a work ethic in village women and the preservation and popularization of traditional art styles and patterns in the creative and cooperative work. After an enthusiastic start the industry lost momentum and faced a decline.

Fortunately, the appreciation shown by rich institutions like banks and international exhibitions gave the necessary impetus to artists to create wall-hangings and large flags for decorative purposes.

Such massive creations hanging in Majestic buildings as, for instance, the wall-hanging for the Bank of Ceylon Tower by the team of Ena de Silva and the elephant caparison to adorn the Tusker in the Kandy Pageant, multi-coloured, by Vipula Dharmawardhana, (who supplied the decor interior for the Parliamentary building and was also commissioned to decorate the Sri Lanka stalls in the Expo Exhibitions held in Vancouver and Brisbane) are deemed as works of art, contributing to the elevation of the art.

Artistic skills

The inspiration for the improvement and stability of the batik art, however, has been due to the standards maintained by reputed artists who combined their knowledge of art with special artistic skills in painting.

Traditional themes from folklore, legends, etc, the motifs and patterns drawn from Nature were effectively used to produce eye-catching cloth styles. The more enterprising among them in the business domain endowed with a knowledge of western styles and, trends forged ahead turning out female wear (minis, maxis, midis as well as the distinctly foreign kurta, kaftans, ponchos) in attractive designs to satisfy the fashion-conscious.

Among those few who contributed to the development of the batik art, Vipula Dharmawardhana is reckoned as a leader. He counted several years of active entrepreneurship specializing in batik with his wife as Chief Designer.

He developed his business venture making the best use of the growing demand for batik of fashion quality haute - couture garments.

He secured international recognition for his abilities and won several Export Promotion Awards for his batiks. His, nine-colour batik composition, 20 meters long, of broad cloth (cost US 6,000 dollars) when it was made two decades ago, (Batik Serendib) is highly valued.

A feature that has been expressed in batik creations is the creativity where blending of traditional motifs and designs in a modern setting - a characteristic device in innovative work in wood carving, sculpture is done by gifted artistes.

More renowned, well educated in art and craft technology, Bandula Fernando has earned an enviable reputation as a front-line artist cum-entrepreneur in Batik, patronized exclusively by foreign buyers.

With 'a style of his own, a happy blend of traditional and modern art and a harmonious mixture of rhythm and colour', he is easily the most outstanding professional artist of batik, today, as he has set up a fully equipped studio, a spacious workshop and a very competent work-force numbering over 100 attending to all aspects of production in a suburb close to the main city.

With the successful organization of exhibitions abroad in several countries he has won awards and is credited with the innovation of the 'Mosaic art in batik'.

He has contributed immensely to maintain a high standard of workmanship and artistry stamping the Sri Lankan work, at the highly artistic level with his distinctive name and ingenuity-a hall mark of unfailing quality.

Fashion wear

Mahinda Ranaweera of Kreations (Kandy) has also produced batiks of acceptable quality. He combines batik work with leather and wood-work items of excellent appeal (winning awards for years).

Buddhi Keerthisena from Marawila has his own workshop, studio and sales centres in more than one place, producing quality ware for the domestic and foreign markets.

His residence and workshop are combined in Marawila (far away from Colombo), a hive of batik activity going on in the many factories, workshops and even in home gardens, its total output of garments, fashion wear and household items feeding the sales outlets in Colombo and elsewhere.

There are many other batik artists and entrepreneurs who have developed their varied abilities and enlarged their workshops and contributed to the expansion of the local and export markets.

To this may be added the small and large dealers in batik wear, specializing in garments of all varieties on the one hand, and those who produce wall-hangings and landscape scenery as well as abstract and modern paintings, on the other.

Looking back at the growth of the batik industry from small beginnings we observe the haphazard manner of development devoid of an organizational structure.

Although it has offered opportunities of employment to a large work force, mostly consisting of females, and also generated a fair amount of export earnings through sales promotions, exhibitions abroad, orders and purchases, yet it has not achieved a status and stature of a prestigious industry due to lack of planning and recognition from established business concerns and neglect by relevant State enterprises.

Looking into the future for positive prospects we can develop certain aspects of the art and the industry with essential organizational and financial support venturing into the fashion world of high quality garment manufacture with an array of products reflecting the innovative and creative potential of the batik art and industry.

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