17-20MAY - Ann Dunham's Indonesian Batik

Ann Dunham's Indonesian Batik Collection
Sunday, May 17 - Wednesday, May 20 2009
11.00 am - 8.00 pm
Walton Room, Drake Hotel
140 East Walton Place, Chicago IL 60611

Organized by:
Maya Soetoro Ng's Family
Embassy of the Rep. of Indonesia - Washington D.C
Consulate General of the Rep. of Indonesia
Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) - Chicago

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About the Exhibition:

The Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago in cooperation with the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC and Maya Soetoro Ng's Family are proud to present The Private Batik Collection of Ms. Ann Dunham.

Batik was very special to Ms. Ann Dunham and her interest in this Indonesian traditional textile began during her stay in Yogyakarta, where it is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Ms. Ann Dunham believes that Batik embodies the essence of the culture and tradition of the place that the batik came from, that is Indonesia.

The word Batik is originally an Indonesian-Malay word and means to dot. This art of textile is spread in the Hindu and Malay world, but Indonesia is certainly the heart of the Batik. This way of painting and coloring textile has reached its higher degree of excellence in the Islands of Java, in cities like Solo, Yogyakarta, Pekalongan or Cirebon. From Java this "batik" cloth was exported to other islands of the archipelago and to the Malay peninsula. Ms. Ann Dunham's collection of batik was mostly of from Yogyakarta and Solo, the two centers of cultures and arts in the Island of Java.

In honoring her passion for Indonesian culture and art, the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington DC and the Maya Soetoro's Ng's Family in cooperation with the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, San Fransisco and New York will exhibit the collection in some cities across the United States throughout the months of May to August 2009.