JP/Markus Makur

Classic batik with its established patterns (pakem) should inspire and challenge designers instead of restricting their creativity. This is the guiding principle of Nita Azhar, 49, who has designed batik motifs and fashionable batik clothing since 1994.

“As cultural heritage, classic batik naturally has pakem rules and philosophy to be observed when creating batik designs. For me, the classic patterns just serve as inspiration when designing new batik motifs. Without this spirit, the result is stagnation,” said the mother of three at her residence and studio on Jl. Pandega Marta, Yogyakarta.

Born in Yogyakarta on Dec. 15, 1964, Nita Azhar delved into the art of classic batik through the guidance of her late grandmother, Udho Sumarto. Her love of batik has made her designs and products rise to national and international fame.

“Only in the skillful hands of batik designers will dynamic creations appear, presenting fresh motifs without abandoning the batik pakem. And it’s not easy to foster this spirit so very few designers specialize in classic-themed styles, while batik fashion designers are in the hundreds,” indicated Nita, whose creations and dresses have been worn by Miss Universe 2001 Denise Quinones from Puerto Rico, Oxana Federova from Russia in 2002 and Amelia Vega from the Dominican Republic in 2003 when visiting Indonesia.

As a classic-based batik and fashion designer, Nita, who made her international debut when she was invited to exhibit her batik works in New Caledonia in 1995, has turned out hundreds of batik motifs.

“Although they are new designs, I continue to emphasize their philosophy so that all my motifs at least remain conceptual and meaningful,” added the recipient of a Yogyakarta-Central Java batik design award from the Indonesian fashion association (PAPMI) in 1995.

Nita is a versatile artist. In 1975 she joined Teratai Theater under dramatist Adi Kurdi and became a classical dancer. She stared in a movie in 1977 with noted director Chaerul Umam and played a lead role in a ketroprak (Javanese history based drama) troupe organized by Handung Kussudiarsono in 1988.

“Now in my spare time, when I’m in the mood for painting, I do it. When focusing on designing batik, I need activities to broaden my horizon and to interact with many people,” revealed Nita, who was once invited to show her batik designs in Jordan and Egypt.

For her design process, she is also inspired by her surroundings — wayang (leather puppets), krises, temples, woodcarvings, paintings and other objects. Favoring freedom of expression, it takes over two months for her to make batik motifs that satisfy her artistic taste.

“Satisfaction in art is relative. So compromises are necessary without ignoring the pakem and philosophy. To be frank, I’ve often felt conflict with orders that limit my artistic freedom,” admitted Nita.

She has already been to Japan more than five times to display her design works and stage her fashion shows and has been asked by various institutions and regional administrations to devise batik motifs that suit their missions, visions, cultures and dreams.

“But when I discover the soul behind such demands and find their solution, design serves as a bridge between batik art and public requests. Frequently I get surprises I’ve never expected,” said Nita, who has been published in magazines such as Le Figaro (France), Meridiani (Italy), Villa (Japan) and Island Life (Australia).

Nita acknowledged the upper middle class dominance of her consumers. She learned the typical appeal and strength of her creations from her experience in overseas shows in Malaysia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Brazil, America, Italy and Britain. Her first batik design collector was an American.

“Of the hundreds of designs I’ve made, I’m really impressed by the themed wayang beber (scrolled wayang episode) in 2004. I watched the wayang show myself in Wonosari Yogyakarta, from where I got the inspiration,” said Nita, whose design was later exhibited in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at an Asian designers’ fashion show.

It should be realized, according to her, that batik is an object of art of high value and of great philosophical significance as a part of cultural heritage. Nita, therefore, maintained that batik in its genuine form should be preserved.

“To be honest, batik printing is not the only way to maintain and preserve batik, but rather it’s just the way to ruin batik regeneration itself. Genuine batik is only produced by manual means, an expression of our heart, soul and art, so that it fully requires human touch,” she pointed out with concern,

Consequently, in order to preserve, and at the same time nurture, the love of true batik, Nita expressed the hope that batik and its philosophy could be popularized among the younger generation through batik lessons in school.

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