Prof. Laretna T. Adishakti from Indonesia gave a series of lectures and a workshop at TNUA on the development of the traditional dyeing in the Pacific area recently at the invitation of the Center for Traditional Arts.
Prof. Adishakti, who teaches at the Department of Architecture & Planning, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, was at TNUA between September 18 and October 8 under the “World Austronesian Studies: International Scholarly Exchange and Academic Research” project.
During her stay, she gave five lectures; “Cultural Heritage and Community Empowerment in the Pacific Area”; “Intangible Heritage and Cultural Industries of Community in the Heritage Cities”; “Global and Local: Heritage Conservation in Indonesia”; “Transformation of Traditional Textile Industries”; and “Transformation of the Indonesian Batik Craft.”
Her workshop demonstrated the art of traditional Indonesian batik, a technique of manual wax-resist dyeing.
The lectures and workshop were mainly meant for graduate students and teachers from the School of Culture Resources, as well as students from the International Master of the Arts Program in Cultural and Creative Industries (IMCCI).
Prof. Laretna co-founded the Indonesian Heritage Trust, and is a member of the Asian Academy for Heritage Management, UNESCO-ICCROM, and a member of the International Council on Monument and Sites (ICOMOS).
An indigo dye artist, Prof. Adishakti has profound understanding of traditional arts and crafts, their contemporary transformations and the international market.
She said the renaissance of Indonesian batik bears many similarities to the rebirth of many traditional arts and crafts industries in Taiwan.