Asian Civilisations Museum

The story of modern-day Singapore, told through batik - SilverKris

"The museum’s 'Batik Kita: Dressing in Port Cities' retrospective presents over 100 batik pieces, including rare works from the national collection, and frames batik—an UNESCO‑recognised, wax‑resist dyeing technique that originated in 17th‑century Javanese courts—as a fabric of maritime Southeast Asian histories, identities and trade. Key highlights include a century‑old Javanese dodot with its white lozenge‑shaped tengah that symbolizes rulerly spiritual purity and that was among the early acquisitions of the Raffles Library & Museum; a sarong kebaya suit by Anthony Tan, Max Tan and Claire Leong that captures the look of Singaporean women entering the workforce in the 1960s–70s; and the industrially printed sarong kebaya uniform designed by Pierre Balmain for the national carrier in 1966. The show also traces batik’s diplomatic and political presence through garments such as an Iwan Tirta silk shirt worn at APEC 1994 and a Sarkasi Said red‑and‑white piece worn at the 2019 National Day Parade. Contemporary designers like Baju by Oniatta and Tong Tong Friendship Store demonstrate bold new silhouettes and multicultural reinterpretations, while hands‑on experiences—a Batik Workshop in the Level 2 foyer and a family Batik Activity Trail for ages 7+—teach patterning, dyeing and design. The exhibition connects batik’s historic commercial role as Singapore’s pre‑WWII entrepôt to its ongoing status as a marker of cultural identity, diplomacy and contemporary fashion; it runs until 2 October 2022, with daily opening hours and tickets from S$12 for citizens and PRs." - Ink Creative Studios