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A tribute to Iwan Tirta's legacy
Anne AvantieFour of Indonesiaâs most notable fashion designers shared a show displaying their unique collections inspired by the masterpieces of the late Iwan Tirta, father of the nationâs modern batik
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Anne Avantie
Four of Indonesia's most notable fashion designers shared a show displaying their unique collections inspired by the masterpieces of the late Iwan Tirta, father of the nation's modern batik.
Along with the show, Iwan's designs on around 150 pieces of fabric and 200 items of ceramic were also showcased in a four-day exhibition in memory of the maestro, who passed away three years ago.
'This event is entitled 'Tribute to Iwan Tirta: Unveiling the Untold Story',' said Musa Widyatmodjo, one of the designers who also acted as the event's creative coordinator, prior to the recent fashion show at the Textile Museum in Petamburan, Central Jakarta.
'Iwan had been producing his creative works since 1970s. Over the past years, however, there were art pieces by the maestro that hadn't been viewed. Therefore, this event is aimed at revealing this work to the public,' he added.
The museum collaborated with PT Pusaka Iwan Tirta in organizing the event. Musa played a role as consultant to Pusaka Iwan Tirta.
Besides Musa, the three other designers were Poppy Dharsono, Chossy Latu and Anne Avantie.
Each designer presented four looks, based solely on inspiration from Iwan's remarkable and meaningful works of art.
'[Iwan] held strongly to certain principles while creating his work, and he always produced art that was developed from an inspiration,' said Poppy.
As a part of Indonesia's inheritance, batik fabric, which is traditionally produced using manual wax-resistant dyeing techniques, have evolved in many ways, including by applying classic contemporary motifs as Iwan did.
Opening the show, which was located on the terrace of the museum building, Poppy displayed her classic drawings, from three stunning long dresses to the iconic look of a white fluffy-sleeved blouse plus an elegant long skirt with an eye-popping red flowery motif on black fabric and a matching scarf.
As Iwan's signature design was large motifs ' be they in the form of animals, flowers or lines, Poppy followed through the basic theme, with dramatic motifs of birds and flowers.
All of Poppy's collection was in the classic brownish color of batik, except for the red flowery long skirt.
Chossy Latu came second, toning down with his black and white collection.
In a chic and simple cutting, Chossy neatly displayed a black Sabrina long dress with a white motif, a little-black-dress with modish medium-length sleeve jacket in a white motif, a stylishly handsome simple short-sleeved shirt and scarf, and a modern sleeveless mini dress with the motif on top and plain black on bottom.
Chossy chose motifs that were inspired by rice plants, flowers and garuda, a Javanese eagle which is the symbol of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Musa mixed and matched motifs and lines on long-sleeved shirts. He confidently married lines with flowery and animal-inspired motifs in colors, such as blue, red, brown and off-white.
Best known for her dramatic form-fitting kebaya, a traditional blouse-dress combination, designs, Anne Avantie wowed the crowd with four of her modernized sexy-look kebaya on top of volumed batik gowns, creating a similar silhouette to a princess gown.
Applying a simple black kebaya on top with backless cutting, Anne brilliantly mixed them with glamorous batik gowns with classic motifs, including parang (strong parallel diagonal lines).
'Iwan Tirta's legacy is simply an inspiring work of art for me,' said the 49-year-old designer.
Iwan was born in Blora, Central Java on April 18, 1935. The designer, who died at 75 after suffering diabetes and strokes in previous years, achieved international recognition, such as in 1994 when he designed batik shirts for world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bogor, West Java.
At the show's exhibition room, visitors were amazed by Iwan's grandest creations, bringing the up-to-date batik to a higher level. Iwan treated each of his designs on textiles as a serious art, instead of just motifs on cloth.
He also allowed his drawings to be put onto ceramics.
Prominent actress Christine Hakim, a devotee of Iwan's work, said that Iwan had been creating unusual batik motifs all his life.
'For me, batik isn't just some old motifs. With Iwan Tirta's work, batik comes alive, becomes a cultural product and even the spirit of the Indonesian nation,' she said.
'It is because when he drew a line, it was like he was meditating. He took it in and released it in a single breath.'
' Photos by Jerry Adiguna
