inVISIBLE: Exploring and Redefining Femininity through Batik
Held in conjunction with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, this exhibition aims to explore contemporary femininity, redefining femininity into qualities that resonate with the wider community who subscribe to the broad spectrum of womanhood.
This exhibition is a collaboration of aNERDgallery and Together-Gether that was first held from Sat 17 Mar 2018 to Sun 15 Apr 2018 at That Spare Room by The Fabulous Baker Boy. Artworks and all exhibition texts are now available on this page to spread the love for textile arts to more audience. Do browse the artworks and click on them to learn more about the story and interesting nuggets from the curators. Oh, if you are connected strongly to any piece, they are available for purchase too!
Wish you a great time enjoying the artworks!
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Introduction
Art is often used to examine, question and criticise the relationships between gender and society. As the feminist movement gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s, art was used to challenge traditional roles of women in domestic and public spheres, and also to question conventional standards of beauty.
Feminism and femininity are related but in reality are far apart. Feminism is the political movement rooted in the idea of social equality between the different sexes. Femininity is the set of attributes and behaviours that are typically associated with females. While both are socially constructed, femininity as defined by societal norms is often overly restrictive.
Who is allowed to be feminine? Gender can no longer be the sole determining factor because the idea of womanhood is broad and complex. This exhibition attempts to explore and realign femininity with self-identifying women, instead of physical characteristics tied to gender. This redefinition, supported by expressions observed in art and current events, also parallels the study of traditional and contemporary batik pieces.
Two contemporary textile artists, Ratih Artika Dewanti and Tjiplies Pudji Lestari, were invited to showcase some of their works in this exhibition. In an industry that was pioneered and has been dominated by their male peers, it is appropriate that they are the faces of the current movement of inclusivity and representation in batik arts.
Fragility and Strength
The world of emotions has traditionally been associated with women and femininity, and often judged as weaker and submissive. In the wake of #TimesUp and #MeToo movements, voices that were silenced are now encouraged to find the strength to speak up against their oppressors. This empowering force, uplifting in spite of a seemingly crippling vulnerability, embodies the spirit of femininity today.
Similarly, women in batik–making are rising to become the drivers behind many artisanal batik studios. They are stepping out to take on a more a prominent role in design and production. These women represent a new vanguard and are recognised as batik artists in their own rights.
Harmony between fragility and strength is ever-present in the philosophy behind batik motifs and processes. These are expressed through fine lines versus bold strokes, curvy contours against sharp geometry, and white outline contrasting dark background.
The fine and curved lines are mostly hand-drawn using a canting, a stylus-like copper tool with a reservoir for wax and a spout attached to a wooden handle. This delicate task requires patience and strong dedication. Bold strokes and angular shapes are achieved with a cap, a copper stamp, requiring physical strength and precision.
In the piece, Magpies and Tree of Life, inquisitive birds seem to be perching and flying around intricate tree branches. These delicate scenes are flanked by a pair of lions who symbolise strength and high stature.
Featured Artworks
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Rising from the Ashes
In Chinese culture, the phoenix is associated with female virtues such as grace and charm. However, the phoenix’s ability to be reborn from its own ashes is perhaps the quality that most resonates with today’s concept of femininity.
In Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, we see the artist in her first self-portrait after her divorce. She wears an oversized men’s suit, and has just cut off her long hair. The lock of hair in her left hand symbolises what she has sacrificed. Her right hand holds a pair of scissors, which she has used to relinquishes her femininity (symbolised by her long hair). This portrait seems to express her sense of loss and sadness, but it is also a very clear declaration of self-reliance and independence.
Rising above destructions, along with the emboldening spirit to construct and reconstruct, have become traits that self-identifying women strongly relate to.
Two of Tjiplies’ works, Metamorphosis and Papaya Inspiration embody the spirit of transformation and resilience. An elegant pair of butterflies emerge from plain-looking caterpillars despite adversities is a reflection of her growth as an artist. In Papaya Inspiration, often disregarded and discarded because of their bitter taste, papaya leaves are actually packed with vitamins and nutrients. Having the leaves more prominent, the artist wishes to highlight a woman’s tenacity to fight till the bitter end.
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Living Between Worlds
Living between worlds is the creation of balance between opposites. Day and night, hot and cold, traditional and modern, or mind and body. This duality has become intrinsic to the cycle of completion in a woman’s life. Pieces featured in this section visually represent how these two ends of the spectrum come together to complete a full design.
Ratih’s Lotus and Dragon represent the polar opposite worlds that women live in. A calm pond sitter versus a flying guardian, a plant on water and an animal in the sky. Both are significant motifs in traditional Chinese patterns which makes this piece a reflection of their unison and harmonious living.
With more variety of fabric being imported, batik is consistently redefined as a form while it serves for function and decorative arts. Similarly, redefining femininity is the conscious effort to embrace intersections when inequality manifests itself in infinite varieties.
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